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COPYRIGHT DEPOSrr. 



THE 

TREND OF LIFE 




Vd^a, the vif\^in bride who gave birth 

U?tto the Child of Knowledge to earth; 

The Child of Knowledge- Christ {Revelation)— 

Who was conceived when God' s medal was won. 



THE 

TREND OF LIFE 

(THE KEY TO THE BOTTOMLESS PIT) 
OR, 

THE OLD CREED REVISED 

PART I 

A REHEARSAL BY THE SOUL 

BY y 

CAROLINE GLOCKSIN LINKE 



» 



CHICAGO, MDCCCCI 



THT LIBRARY OF 

CONGRESS 
Two OOHifca Receiveo 

AUG. 31 1901 

"JOPVRlQHT ENTRY 



CLAS'SC\,XXo. N* 

cepY a. 






Copyright, iqoi 
By CAROLINE GLOCKSIN LINKE 



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^ THE '- ^ 

i TREND o/'LIFE $ 






A BOOK FOR EVERY ONE 



\^ AGAINST NO ONE 

DEDICATED 



^ TO THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE, 
M< 



w WITH THIS MOTTO: 



^ There is naught in name ^ 

^ or number just so the garb ^ 

^ that you wear is kept spot- ^ 

^ less, and therefore in name ^ 

^ you need be nothing if in ^ 

^ spirit or life you are good ^ 

^ and true, for goodness lead- ^ 

^ eth to righteousness, and ^ 

^ truth to purity; while right- ^ 

^ eousness leadeth unto God, ^ 

^ and cleanliness is next to ^ 

^ Godliness. ^ 



^M¥^^^.^>K*^^^^^ 



Note: — It will be observed that all terms defined 
in " The Trend of Life " are defined by that which 
leads to what the terms signify, and in order to 
receive the benefit of its principles, " The Trend 
of Life " must be read from beginning to end. 



INDEX. 

Frontispiece ("Inspiration" Personified as 

"The Virgin Bride of Man's Soul") 
An Address to the Public - - - - 13 
Serenade to Inspiration . . - . 17 
Introduction to "The Trend of Life" - 27 
The Revelation of the Six-Pointed Star, or 
the Great, Grand, Harmonic Plan of 
Eternity, and "The Machinery of Na- 
ture" 44 

The Merry Xmas Time 62 

Make All Time "The Merry Xmas Time." 

How? 65 

The Explanation of the Workings of "The 
Machinery of Nature " - - - - 67 

PART I. 
(A Rehearsal by the Soul) 

Invocation 69 

In the beginning was God, with whom was the word, 
which said, " Let there be light, and there was 
Light." Why ? 70 

"So God created man in His own image, in the image 
of God created He him, male and female created 
He them." How is man the image of God? 83 

Explanation 86 

9 



lo INDEX 



"And God called the light day and the darkness He 

called night." What is God's day and night? 90 
"And God said, ' Let the waters be divided from the 
waters.' " Why did God divide the waters from 

the waters? 91 

The dual-trait form of God .... 92 

•• And God said, ' Let there be a firmament in the 
midst of the waters.' " What is that firmament? 94 

What is Strife? 95 

What is Knowledge? 96 

How does listing to God's word save? From what? 

Since death is but an incident (the change of 

life), while life is a complete circuit of existence, 

what is there to be saved from? - - - 99 

The tenth Psalm of David interpreted - - 107 

The tenth Psalm of David, written according to the 

needs of the day 109 

"Ye cannot serve God and mammon " - - in 

Parable of the sower and explanation - - - 113 
How can those who desire to do good, to-day, bring 
forth a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty? 115 

Prayer 115 

What is prayer? - - - - - - - 118 

How does God manifest all in all? - - - 118 

The revelation of God as a person as God exists - 119 
An appeal from the soul unto man - - - 122 

The revelation of God as a person as man has made 

Him - 124 

"Ye have eyes to see, yet cannot see; ye have ears to 
hear, yet cannot hear; ye have minds to under- 
stand, yet cannot perceive." Why? - - 128 
It shall be paid to the uttermost farthing. How? 130 
Who are the teachers of God's plan? - - - 133 
The fifth era of earth life. Its greatest gloom - 135 



INDEX II 



A sermon from the mount of the olives of life accord- 
ing to the needs of the day - - - - 139 
" For verily I say unto you, ye shall be born again." 142 
Why? Love God above all and thy neighbor as thy- 
self 143 

The lack of co-operation 144 

"Christ is Truth," while "God is Love" - - 145 
Life as a problem (End of Part L) - - - 149 

The Close— a soliloquy of the soul; O yes, O yes, 
there is a God 150 



AN ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC. 

Beloved Sisters and Brethren: For such you will 
ever be to one who has beheld the face of God 
(who is all in all) as the great, grand, harmonic plan 
of eternity, while the soul of man (God's cerebrum) 
as a onement from which floweth all that is good, 
pure, and beautiful, through which is expressed all 
that is immortal; to one who through inspiration 
and impression receives the "teachings of the soul." 

It has been the desire of the authoress to illus- 
trate, if possible, how beautifully the spiritual can 
be intertwined amongst the material, whether in 
thought, action or deed, all the professional duties 
of daily existence; to illustrate, if possible, how 
much more beneficial it would be if materialists 
and anamists would cooperate in bringing the 
existent truths of the day to the understanding of 
the masses, instead of taking advantage of every 
opportunity that may present itself to cast out 
criticism, prejudice, and ridicule against each 
other; how much better it would be if, instead of 
criticising each point of difference in doctrine or 
13 



14 AN ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC 

theory, they would blend them into something 
existent (since existent that something is), and thus 
in some way harmonize their daily discoveries by 
actual demonstration or co-mingling with each 
other, and take every chance that may lie open to 
express the highest thoughts possible, whether 
through word, action or deed. If materialists 
have the outward form to exhibit actual demon- 
stration of proof through substance, anamists have 
that greatest of all earth's power (perception) and 
greatest of all earth's gifts (inspiration) to prove 
through outward form outlined the highest princi- 
ples of mind or soul teachings. 

The authoress, desiring to reveal the knowledge 
of that greatest gift and power to the understand- 
ing of humanity, received as her crown a beautiful 
illumination, which revealed to her "God and 
Christ," as declared in the following pages, and 
the command to " Wave the banner of love and 
truth for all mankind, amen." For, being weary 
of the criticism and prejudice one denomination 
harbored against the other, she turned unto the 
soul within, just to behold a snow-white banner 
unfurled, which revealed to her God as a person, 
so constructed as to represent all in all, and as she 



AN ADDRESS TO THE PUBLIC 15 

looked upon His face (the great, grand, harmonic 
plan of eternity), realized that at least one child of 
earth and matter many, many years ago beheld 
God much as she did. This revelation lasted six 
days, from the 6th of December, 1899, to the 12th, 
while the 13th she heard and saw nothing, begin- 
ning to write as she was commanded on the 14th 
day of December, the result of which composes 
" The Trend of Life," or" The Old Creed Revised." 



SERENADE TO INSPIRATION. 

Inspiration, Inspiration! 

O, my love, my light, 
Sweetest strains of music pealing. 

Sending forth delight. 
Inspiration, Inspiration! 

Poetry, truth divine 
Centered in the soul, the onement, 

Soul of man, love's shrine. 

Inspiration, Inspiration! 

O, my love, my life, 
Speaking words of wisdom, telling 

Conquer self, thus strife. 
Inspiration, Inspiration! 

O, how could I be 
Without thy smiling face so pure, 

My bride through eternity. 

Inspiration, Inspiration! 

Virgin bride of all 
Who will but accept thy blessing. 

List unto thy call. 

17 



i8 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Inspiration, Inspiration! 

Light of earth and man, 
Revealing e'er a snow-white banner, 

God's great, harmonic plan. 

Inspiration, Inspiration! 

Nourishment of soul. 
Flowing from God's cerebrum 

To direct earth's whole. 
Inspiration, Inspiration! 

Answering man's call. 
Giving all to him by spoonfuls 

Until filled with all. 

Inspiration, Inspiration! 

Bride of soul divine, 
Vibrating all the chords of life 

Through thy strains sublime. 
Through thy voice of sweetest music, 

Through thy heavenly breath. 
Through the seeds of wisdom scattered. 

Through thee, conqueress of death. 

For thou dost speak to man thus : 

"Would you be a child of wisdom? 

Would you be a child of love? 
Then launch your boat on quiet waters. 

Where no turbulent waves can move 



THE TREND OF LIFE 19 

To make life's pathway dark and stormy, 
But calmly steer your boat along, 

Holding the rudder, ever controlling, 

With a purpose, a will determined and strong. 

And know, 

It is not the action or deed in your being. 
It is not the impulse that prompts you to 
gain. 
That brings to your knowledge a clearer per- 
ception 
Of what dwells in plenty or what is inane. 

It is not the byword that gives to you pleas- 
ure, 
It is not the grasping to see what you hold, 
That reveals the truth of what is existing, 
Or showeth the blossoms as they grow, 
unfold. 

It is not the planting that brings forth a 
harvest. 
It is not the plowing that inters the seed, 
Nor the pushing and scrambling amongst one 
another 
Which shows but man's ignorance and mortal 
greed. 



20 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Who, since he is living, should make his life 

worthy 

Of life and its calling, expressing the soul, 

Act out its impulse toward noble attainments. 

From which flows forth knowledge for him 

to enroll. 

He should know himself first, then look at 
his brother, 
Dig up his debris of time, and when com- 
plete 
See what lies buried within his scope's center — 
Wherein lies victory, wherein defeat. 

For in his scope's center there dwelleth 
perception. 
The power by which to conceive of, and 
sense. 
What is of quality, quantity, e'en emptiness. 
That which is lacking, or worth recom- 
pense. 

And if each will list to perception's vibra- 
tions, 

If each will analyze, apply them to self, 
Then will you know yourself better, and others, 

And knowing, will see self deceived by self. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 21 

And when with this knowledge you view what 
you dug up, 

Dividing your debris into victory and defeat, 
That which oft seemed the greatest conquest 

Now lies vanquished under your feet. 

And that which oft seemed the most de- 
feated 
Rises in glory in victory's name; 
Thus doth the knowledge of self through 
perception 
Transpose the attributes, honor and shame. 

Yet not by the brightness or light of your 
visions, 
Yet not by earth's glory wherein you have 
reigned. 
Can you uncover what is hidden within you. 
Reveal what is real, or what is but feigned. 

For think not the pastime that gives to you 

pleasure 
Gives pleasure to all who have being in man. 
Think not there is gain in what you are 

holding. 
If you do not therewith the best that you 

can. 



22 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And the seed that is planted can ne'er bring 
fruition 
If you foster it not nor help it to grow, 
But must be cultivated with the best intui- 
tion 
That may be exemplified for man to know* 

Look in this vast universe, museum of nature, 
The loftiest portals ever portrayed, 

Grand pillars of truth, expressions so tested 
That on them earth's all-knowledge funda- 
ment is laid. 

And there is no doorway, lock, key, or 
watchman 

To bar you from entering in for to view 
All that is molded, painted, e'en sculptured, 

For each is a stockholder, yea, even you. 

Of this great, grand structure, edifice supernal, 
Wherein dwell the living of all life and 
soul. 

Wherein is manifested such love and wisdom 
That each can aspire to the loftiest goal. 

And find there their teachings, 
If they will but perceive them, 



THE TREND OF LIFE 23 

And find there the volumes of knowledge and 

light; 
Even the air is full of expression 
To illuminate earth's wanderer on his upward 

flight." 

To those heavy laden with the burdens 
of life thou sayest thus : 

"The heavier the cross the surer the crown, 
Though often in sorrow and grief bowed down, 

Though often the heart with sadness half broke, 
Yes, often in misery carrying a yoke. 

Yet there is an end to all sorrow and grief. 
And truth will reward you and give you relief. 

Yes, truth will repay you when clasped to its 

fold. 
With a crown that is far more precious than 

gold; 

Far more precious than diamonds, far more 

precious than all 
The jewels that earth or the seas could recall 

From their cells where they hide from human 

sight 
Until through some mission brought to light. 



24 THE TREND OF LIFE 

For, yes, there are reasons, O, yes, there's a 

cause. 
For the hardships you meet and the little flaws 

That are scattered along the path of life, 
And make all life's troubles and worry and 
strife. 

And know, too, that not far from this earthly 

sphere 
There's a shore that shines with messengers 

near, 

Who are sent to bring you tidings of love, 
To give you assurance from our Father above, 

And to tell you that God will help one and 

all. 
No matter how great the mission or fall; 

That you'll be received on yon shining shore 
If you'll but do the best you can evermore. 

If you'll but pray, watch, and wait. 

For sweet is the hour of love and peace, 
When contentment reigns o'er all; 

When passions and trouble's heart-throbs 
cease, 
'Tis then the soul hears a call 



THE TREND OF LIFE 25 

That awakens the mind to higher thought, 
Makes the chords of life vibrate, 

'Til you find through the mind greatest won- 
ders are wrought. 
You have but to pray, watch, and wait. 

To be frank and be truthful 

Is a saying to heed, 
For the aged, the youthful, 

For all have its need. 
And remember wherever 

Your footsteps may lead. 
Be frank and be truthful, 

Is a saying to heed. 

For truth may so deeply 

Be buried in dust. 
And covered yet thickly 

With lie's daubing crust, 
And tarnished o*er all 

With deception's dark rust, 
Yet truth's piercing ray 

Will shine through this crust. 

No matter how deeply. 

How dark in the night. 
Is a deed done to keep 

From the day and the light. 



26 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And withheld yet so firmly 
With power and might, 

Yet the smoke of its debris 
Will kindle a light. 

It may be a day 

And it may be a year, 
Ere truth's piercing ray 

Cometh forth, shineth clear. 
Yet some time, somewhere. 

The light will appear 
And reveal all in all 

That was held dark and drear. 

For the earth as it turns 

Did upheave mountains high. 
And the sun as it burns 

Broke earth's crust when so dry. 
So with truth's light so piercing 

Will ne'er halt to try 
To upheave what is buried 

'Neath the crust of the lie." 



INTRODUCTION TO THE TREND 
OF LIFE. 

Child of earth, O all humanity, 

I a revelation hold 
That has not been penned or whispered. 

That by lips has ne'er been told. 

Yet it was for me to see it. 

It was for me to understand 
That which is earth's whole creation. 

What the " Infinite " hath planned. 

Wilt thou believe me, sister, brother, 

E'en only but a child like thee, 
Struggling in earth's compass matter. 

That I have seen eternity? 

No, thou wilt not believe me, I know; 

Thou wilt say, "Ah, child, poor child. 
You have had a vain illusion — 

Allowed your forces to run wild." 

But all that thou mayst say can never 
Change what has been revealed to me; 

All that thou mayst think whatever 
Is but a flash in eternity. 
27 



28 THE TREND OF LIFE 

O, it is not what man most studied, 

But it is that which to-day moves the world, 

Which I have seen in that revealment. 
In that great banner unfurled. 

Yes, it is that which most beateth 

In the pulse of human life; 
Yes, it is the crime, all the mistakes, 

That which makes all human strife. 

And that which is so much misconstrued 

Unto man and unto earth, 
That which is called the failure, mistake, 

Of the " Infinite," the birth. 

Of the earth and all its children. 
While the brains that punctured are 

With life's power for fathoming matter 
Call it hallucination, air. 

But were it not for revelation. 

What would be man's plight to-day, 

Since all knowledge that hath e'er come 
Came through revelation's ray. 

Since the flash and glimmer precedes 

The true light that is revealed, 
So in all things, in all knowledge, 

Hath this fact been stamped and sealed. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 29 

And the messenger must e'er precede 
The true one to make him known, 

And this, too, in all things shown is 
Since the one is a stepping-stone 

For the other to promote him. 

Just one step higher he begins, 
Yet it is all through revelation 

That the outs are turned to ins. 

But the child of earth will insist 

That each one alone hath done 
What has been by each accomplished 

Has been done by each alone. 

Yes, earth's child is much conceited. 

And will be until the "Infinite's" great prayer 

Will be fulfilled, then humanity 

Will know that each is but a tublet here 

Through which the power is e'er effused; 

O, it is immortal, for do not think 
That there is power not continually used 

E'en though the tublets ofttimes stink. 

Since we know not how to cleanse them, 
Since we know not just what we are 

Until the power that is pressing through us 
Will reveal a six-pointed star. 



30 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And it is this fact at present 

That will help humanity out; 
Bring to it the needful knowledge 

Of what life is all about. 

Ah, it is not a vain illusion, 
Ah, it is not a powerless cloud 

That for a moment in vaporation floating 
Just forever to leave the crowd. 

Of human thoughts, human expressions. 
Human works, or labor wrought, 

To be scheduled as a mere nothing done 
Or a mere nothing thought. 

To be called the wildest ravings 
That earth's child has ever heard, 

To be clothed in superstition 

As the thought of an idiot's word. 

Such the fate of most revealments, 
Which in ages past were known. 

Where to-day each one that is mastered 
Is called earth's greatest stepping-stone. 

Yet the future holds stones far greater 
Toward which we will have to leap. 

Step by step we'll have to reach them; 
Ofttimes on our knees we'll creep. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 31 

Just to gain a step, stride forward 
In that path which yet not known, 

Just to get a glimpse or vision 
Of a greater stepping-stone. 

Ah! the world hath gloated forward 
Toward the shrine of outward things, 

Toward what can be seen and heard of. 
Fostered by the sense it brings. 

While the power within that worketh, 
While the force that presseth out, 

All that is external, outward. 
All that man e'er thought about, 

Beateth morbid in life's pulses, 

Dwelleth as extinct with most. 
While the outward forms expressed are, 

Which are but the power's ghost. 

Ah! the world hath drifted forward 
Not to what is, but what is sensed, 

What has been revealed, misconstrued. 
At which point man's mind is fenced. 

But as fences decay, break down. 
Since they are but of matter made, 

So this fence, man's mind surrounding, 
Will, too, some day be waylaid. 



32 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Yet it will not be in one day, 

E'en a week, a month, a year, 
Not until the most internal 

Can be revealed to man, made clear. 

Thus will revealments e'er be revealed 
Through the humblest of the aught. 
Through those who have pride's stiff-neck 
broken. 
Through those whom soul chastised and 
taught. 

Through the child of earth and matter. 
Who, in life's manger born to dwell. 

Who, through trials and life's hardships. 
Feels the soul's comforting spell. 

She will be the first to perceive 

What is revealed by the soul. 
Since she has perceived its workings 

She has turned unto its goal. 

And therefore faces ever toward it. 
Therefore will see what is revealed. 

Since she has felt its consolation, 
In time will know just how to yield 

Unto its force, to its great power. 

That is ever pressing out, 
E'en it finds the smallest puncture 

Through which it might be known about. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 33 

And if in all many past ages 

Recognition it did not win, 
It was because the child of earth and matter 

Looketh outward, not within. 

For all succor, help, all earth's needs, 
For all the mind of man may know. 

Not thinking that it is from the within 
That the power of knowing doth flow. 

Now thou wilt ask, " How dost thou know 
this? 

That all floweth from within? 
What knowest thou of mind's great power? 

Where in life didst thou begin? " 

Ah! dear child of earth and matter. 

This, revelation hath me told. 
Just where I began and all earth's children, 

Who ever have life, are ever goaled. 

Ah, I know thou wilt not believe me. 

Since thou hast never believed 
What has been told in the past by others. 

What by others has been received. 

Just because their revelations 

Did not tally in each component part, 

Just because they mostly differed 
In the form, not in the heart. 



34 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Since the soul will never express 
Two forms of life exact the same, 

Whether through mind or outward form, 
Thus each a separate place must claim. 

Now the first spiritual revealment 

To humanity, child of earth, 
Was the foundation for all such revealments, 

Was the soul's first outward birth. 

Now thou wilt say, "Soul is outward. 

Soul is outward in me born,** 
While it is but the knowing power raised 

By the soul flows through earth's form. 

Here again I hear thee ask me, 

"How knowest thou that this is true?" 

Ah! sister, brother, just through that power 
That floweth through me, floweth through 
you. 

Coming from within, it revealed 

How all that e'er was known by man; 

Coming from within, will reveal 

All that directed toward earth's plan. 

Thus will revelation follow 

Revelation through life's force; 
The first was basic knowledge of the outward 

To preserve the flowing course. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 35 

Of that which giveth to the outward 

All its sustenance, its food, 
All that is external, much not sought for, 

Much that in life would do good. 

E'en though you may not believe it, 
E'en though you may not believe. 

But each act and each expression 
To the soul for power must cleave. 

Since it is through it that thou knowest 
All that thou dost know on earth. 

Since through it the power of knowing 
Gave to man his rightful birth. 

And it e'er will raise that power. 

And it e'er will press it through 
All the molecules of matter 

Through which the atom hath paid its due. 

Unto man, unto earth's children, 

Unto the form through which you breathe. 
Unto the nostrils ever inhaling 

The stench of earth to which you cleave. 

Since you will not turn from it 

To breathe a purer vitalized air, 
Since you will not accept the measure 

Filled by the higher atmosphere. 



36 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And now I want to tell you, sister, brother, 
How I know there is a higher atmosphere, 

How it is it filled my nostrils 

While I'm yet on this earth's sphere. 

O, I have found the goal, the center, 

Unto that which I may turn 
In all problems that may efface me 

Where the answer I can learn. 

You may think that I am feigning 

To be great and tell you so; 
Ah, dear child, there is no greatness 

Centered in man's forms below, 

Except to manifest the attributes 
Of that which giveth all to birth, 

Germination, growth, unfoldment. 
All in life upon the earth. 

O, it does not give you mammon. 
Though you here it may obtain. 

It does not say go take the dollar. 
Since in taking is loss and gain. 

For then the soul would be partial 
To the gainer, while to the one 

Who did lose that mighty dollar 

Might be crushed, have fallen down. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 37 

And the soul would not raise one 
And knock the other over, down, 

Would not give one a jeweled headgear, 
While the other a blackened crown. 

Ah, no; the soul doth see it all, 

It knoweth each pang of pain and doubt. 
"Why does it not, then, raise the fallen?" 

Just ope' the door, let it shine out. 

And you, dear children, you each must help it; 

Oh, you do think this is too vast a scheme 
To be wrought out in all its turnings. 

To overwhelming the very theme. 

Oh, no, it is not; it is the simplest 

Mechanism that e'er has been revealed. 

It need not take much search or learning, 
Since the power is within and thou art 
wheeled 

About by it in all life's turnings. 

In all that you may say or do; 
Why, e'en the most ridiculous bauble 

Is caused by this power pressing through. 

But it is not the soul's great failure 
That the power comes sputtering out. 

Since the tube must be clogged somewhere 
When force the power blusters about. 



38 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And it is not the soul's partiality 
That some children here on earth 

Have more power than the others, 
Since through them it can ooze forth 

And be scattered, be embellished 
With what may on earth seem fit, 

Not with what is fit to decorate, 
Since without humanity's wit 

Will reflect the power's action 

On all what is outward seen, 
And draws within its scope's center 

What is unfit turneth green. 

But I must make haste and tell you 

What has been revealed to me; 
Seems I can not, so filled with compassion 

As man's great mistakes I see. 

How do I see them, sister, brother? 

Ah! I tell you, through the soul. 
I am but a simple child of earth and matter. 

Yet I have turned unto that goal 

From which floweth life's great power 
By which we all things see and know. 

Not because I have to, firstly, 
Not because it must be so. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 39 

Not because within the pulses 

I felt ever in me beat, 
Not because I saw the outward sunshine beating 

Down on what did in me beat, 

But because I felt humanity's pressure 

That is ever beating down, 
One by one, its little children, 

With its staff, its thorned crown. 

I do not mean by little children 

Those who in babe's forms are ; 
Ah! no, those humble in spirit. 

Through whom the greatest of soul's power 

Has been revealed, and e'en in life 
Their acts were in accordance with 

What has been spoken by them, revealed; 
Yet humanity made all a myth 

Through misinterpretation, lack of perception, 
Until God's worship to-day is but a cloud. 

Is but a vapor clothed in prejudice. 

That His very being must feel as donned in a 
shroud. 

And all His power, and all His teachings, 
And knows humanity, child of earth, 

Is prejudiced against the knowledge 

That says, " Self-conquest is the higher 
birth." 



40 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And though, dear child, though I'm no better 

Than any one on earth below. 
But let me tell you, child of matter, 

That all was, is, is not just so, 

Since the old must be a background 

On which the new might be shown plain; 

Thus will revelations follow. 
Revelations in one great chain, 

Each link being a little larger 

Than the one clasped on before, 
Each one having just enough its form changed. 

That it might just ope' soul's door 

For all forms of humanity; 

E'en though some are dark and bent 
It is left to revelation 

To straighten them, repair the dent, 

And pierce the darkness through and through, 

Bring forth the light into the gloom. 
Unveil humanity, that it might see its destina- 
tion and its doom. 

Since each child must go just one way. 

Not together in hand or mass. 
It meaneth naught just how he goeth. 

But through death's door will surely pass. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 41 

Through the door? Ah, yes, 'tis so. 

Life's curtains then are drawn aside 
And are withheld forever more, 

As each perceives truth when o'er the tide. 

But we we must not speak of death now, 
As that would end all, materialists say, 

So let us return to life and learn 
Of a better, more excellent way 

Out of all weakness, mistakes, confusion, 
In which humanity is anchored just now. 

Making, preparing for greater encroachments 
On the soul's premises, blow after blow. 

See it in the Transvaal, by the Filipino, 
See it in all countries, preparing, for what? 

Not the soul's attributes to propel or show, 
But just to stain them with another blot 

Of human blood, since their pen is 
What the sword can to them bring. 

Since 'tis of gain, the external matter. 
Of which their voices in praises sing. 

Ah, but there will come a time 

When their sword will be laid low, 

When each child of earth and matter. 
Each their own field will plow and sow. 



42 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And sowing will know where to lodge 
The seed where it will bestly thrive, 

And not be usurped by another, 
So that another he might deprive. 

For the soul will dictate to each one here. 
E'en though earth's children vary much, 

But it is not in quality, but quantity. 
Entirely in outward form or touch. 

And since it is the soul's power ever 

To dictate to each one alone, 
** Why does not soul reveal the day, then, 

And not let bloodshed, warfare go on?" 

Ah, there it is, the soul doth say; 

E'en though the shadows of the night 
Have darkened into blackest gloom, 

Behind the gloom the moon shines bright. 

Ah, there it is, the soul doth say; 

Dear child, thou knowest when it is light. 
Thou knowest that night changes to day. 

Morn into noon, when the sun shines bright. 

And so it will be with earth's great gloom; 

Behind the light is ever shining; 
It is but the background and not the doom 

Of mortal man who is ever pining. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 43 

Not for what the soul can through him do, 
But what the soul can to him bring. 

So he must bear the consequences 
Of usurped rights and selfish sting. 

For soul through spirit by substance fettered 
Donates as earth's life moves along; 

Through truth the needs of man, progression 
Upholds the right, discards the wrong. 

Thus helps propel its power outward. 
Helps man to do the best he can, 

Since he is the greatest outlet 
Of God's great, harmonic plan. 

Through all eternity, will you believe it? 

No, you will not; but let us see 
If aught can be made clear to any 

In what has been revealed to me. 

See if you can trace the picture. 

See if you can all connections make. 

See if you can perceive the purpose 
For which the outlet add to or take 

Aught from what will here revealed be 
Aught from this great, harmonic plan 

Which was placed before my soul's sight 
To be given again to mortal man. 



THE REVELATION OF THE SIX- 
POINTED STAR, OR THE GREAT, 
GRAND, HARMONIC PLAN OF 
ETERNITY AND THE MACHINERY 
OF NATURE. 

It was the sixth day of December, 

Eighteen hundred ninety-nine, 
I felt myself sink into a stupor. 

I was conscious there was no sign 
Of spirit's power, spirit*s entrancement, 

But my very self was lifted up, — 
Not the body, child — O, no, the spirit, — 

So I could take a sip from out soul^s cup, 
And I felt myself transcending 

All space about earth's sphere. 
And naught could I see as I was soaring, 

And naught could I hear, 
But higher, higher, more uplifting. 

Until launched beyond the very skies, 
And there enveloped, illuminated, 

I gazed upward with my eyes. 
Thou canst not think what I beheld there — 

It was a great, burning flame. 
It was so brilliant, so wondrous bright, 

That I cannot find a name 

That might e'er syllable to explain. 
44 



THE TREND OF LIFE 45 

And that flame was so illuminating 

That it lighted all space around. 
I could not see what was feeding it — 

It was not coal, oil, gas, as here is found; 

It might have been electricity, yet I would 
not be bound. 
But that flame did leap and vibrate so 
That it thrilled me through and through, 

And I was filled with such compassion 
For the children of earth, for each one of 

you, 
No matter what being, what race, what hue. 

And I felt such wondrous power. 
Such love as I had never felt before. 

And I wanted each one of you endowered 
With just one thrill through an open door 

Which I beheld just for a moment, 
Then saw it no more. 

Yes, it thrilled my very being — 
I felt pierced through and through. 

Believe me, child, it is no illusion 
That I am now telling to you. 

Then I saw a monstrous boiler. 
Through which the flues extended were. 

Each one having a different destination. 
There must have been a wonderful power 

That was at work within this boiler, 



46 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Yet I did not hear a sound. 

I simply felt such great vibrations; 
Then, as I looked again I found 

One flue was slightly extended outward 
Into a smaller boiler there. 

It was not placed on any ground; 
It was all in the atmosphere. 

The smaller boiler that I saw there 
Had flues within it much the same 

As machinery boilers I saw here. 
But there each flue had a different name, 
And as I closer to it came, 

Behold! through its exhaustion spout 

Earth or matter was pouring out. 
Then I saw a monstrous engine 

Turning a great fly-wheel, 
Which had five spokes within to uphold 

Its casting, that it might be real 
And not falter; as far as I could see. 

Receive, like earth, through change its seal. 
The engine had a reverse action. 

As its governor would first turn one way, 
Then the other, with equal rapidity. 

I knew not what to think or say. 
One thing that was conspicuous. 

The wheel's center — the hub, I mean, — 
It was very bright, as a flash of light 



THE TREND OF LIFE 47 

Cast out by the burning flame 
Did reflect upon it through a door. 
I noticed it was the same door that I saw before; 

It was opened just for a moment 
And then it was closed again. 

But now I saw on this side a bolt 
Which I did not see on the side of the flame, 

And as I turned my gaze to its top, 
Lo! it was the door that led to the flame 

And its great boiler-shop. 
Connected to the great fly-wheel 

Were smaller wheels and belts. 
And now I could discern a sound; 

It was like footsteps and like pelts 
Beating away and marching on; 
I expected to see some one walk along. 

I felt my pulses beat and throb, 
And lo! the sound descended, 

And then I heard a sob. 
But I must here, also, tell you 

What I saw as the sound did descend. 
The little wheels and little belts 

Were connected to, yet did transcend, 
A great, huge sphere of matter 

That continually had poured out. 
As I told you, of that smaller boiler 

Through its exhaustion spout. 



48 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And now I felt myself so placed 
That I with this sphere was effaced. 

This earth sphere seemed entirely wrapped 
in gloom, 
The darkness of night seemed everywhere, 

And I felt as though some terrible doom 
Was to be foretold, was to be man's share; 

That all for man there was to be 
Darkness and death through eternity. 

Then I looked up, preparing for prayer, 

And what do you think that I saw there? 
The first was a six-pointed star 
That brightly glittered from afar, 

For earth was so in darkness wrapped 
That I could not see what was on it. 

I even felt as though entrapped, 
And therefore turned my gaze from it, 

Just to behold the light from afar, 

The light of that six-pointed star. 
And that bright star did glimmer and gleam 

Until all earth by it was lighted. 
One ray was here, one there could be seen. 

At all points of the compass it could be 
sighted. 

And that dark gloom that had earth be- 
nighted 
Passed away like a passing dream. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 49 

And now I looked on earth again; 
Just what there was, just what it held, 

Could by me, as I was placed, be seen. 

My eyes were attracted by a glittering 
sheen, 
Like most children, when they see something 

shine. 
Will go to it and think it is something fine, 

And think, as they its sheen behold, 

Because it glitters it must be gold. 
But lo! I looked and I saw there 

A cathedral of precious stones. 
Of gold and silver, it was so fair 

The sight must thrill the very bones 
Of its landlord on earth here. 

And as I looked closer I could discern 

The jewels spelled in every turn 
A name, — it was millionaire. 

I was so curious to look within, 
So with boldness did soar forward, 

And what do you think that there was 
seen? 
In one corner a board of trade, 

In another slaughter was going on. 
In another bribery, theft, deception. 

While in the fourth, clothed in earth's 
wealth, 



50 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Lounging on cushions placed in each chair, 

Feasting on earth's sweets with lustful ap- 
petite, 
Was seen earth's ruler, a millionaire. 

I turned away from the cathedral's door 
And soared back unto my place, 
And lo! what I knew not did me efface. 

Since force and power, which not before 
Did I notice, yet now could easily trace 

Its motion and action o'er all earth's shore, 
And took its part even in all space. 

Ah, then again I descended below 
To see where this force and power came from, 

And see just how it could be so. 
And as I beheld, I was almost numb. 

For the little wheels and little belts 
Which, when descended, before I had seen. 

Had wrought through the earth, I heard the 
same pelts, 
The same little footsteps that before had been 

Sounds that were to me like the pulse's beat. 

Like heart-throbs and patter of little feet. 
And as I gazed what not before 

Was placed before my sight; 
Five monstrous pillars that braced earth's 
shore, 

A sixth one, just partly raised to its height, 



THE TREND OF LIFE 51 

Then vanished; I saw it no more. 

And as I drew closer to behold just of what 
These pillars constructed were, 

I saw they were speckled with a kind of blot. 
And as I went nearer there, 

Behold! they looked like a picture of a 
candidate 
During election time, 

When the little boys of opponent parties 
Did make the picture shine 

In speckled form, with blots of mud. 
Yet I drew closer, and what did I discern? 

Ah, here, too, were clots of blood. 
It was all that I could see below. 
So ascended again to my place 
And perceived the power and force, pressing 
through, 

Moved little objects o'er all earth's face. 
Conspicuous those little objects were. 

Of all form or design, all color or hue. 
And I could see each one, no matter what kind, 

This power and force was pressing through. 
Some were tublets, it seemed to me, 

Which were standing straight on end; 
Some black, some white, as I could see, 

And all the shades betwixt the two 
That could be made to blend. 



52 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Some were straight, while some were bent, 
While through some the force came sputter- 
ing out. 
I did not know what it might portend, 
I feared an explosion might be brought 
about. 
Some tubes were rusty while some were bright, 
While through some the power from its very 
core 
Seemed pressing out with all its might. 
And I saw that some were quite puffed up, 
Blistered as though the force was too 
great 
And could not be held within the tublet, 
So puffed it up and blistered its plate. 
And many more tublets I saw about, 

Some stationed quite densely in different 
light; 
Some seemed quite twisted in and out, 

While o'er some hung clouds like the darkness 
of night. 
So that the very force and power 

That through them was oozing out 
Was black in color, as I could see. 

Yet could not tell what it was about. 
O'er some I saw hung mists of light; 
It was as though the sun shines bright 



THE TREND OF LIFE 53 

And pierces through the fog of day. 
And though some tubes were painted black, 
They did no more the brightness lack 

Than white ones, through this same shining 
ray. 
I could not see from where this light, 
Yet it was beautiful unto the sight. 

I felt my pulses beat and throb 
And felt I lived in truth, in love. 

Then I looked down on earth again 
And saw some tubes had fallen over. 

While the force pressed through in the 
very air, 
And then I saw the tublet no more. 

I gazed about, and behold! some chunks. 

Some very small, while some great big lumps 
Were moving about on the face of the earth. 

And I could perceive that power and force 

Were pressing through them, whatever their 
course. 
And I saw those chunks were of different hue. 
Yet force and power were pressing through, 

Through some with greater force than through 
some others. 
But I could not perceive so much power 

about. 
As through the tublets was oozing out. 



54 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Now my gaze was attracted to another place, 

And what do you think did me there efface? 

Poles having force which no power pressed 

out, 

And I saw some sticks which the same did 

appear, 
Force within which no power made clear. 
And I saw so many different sticks, 

Little ones, tapered like a needle point, 
Yet force within did them all anoint. 
Again I turned and gazed into the air 
And saw a kind of network there 

Of force and power that had pressed 
through 
Where those tublets had fallen over, 

And which then I could see no more. 
This network was of changeable hue. 

I will halt for a moment to rehearse what I 
had seen. 
Beginning with the burning flame. 

The boilers, the engine, the big fly-wheel, 
The smaller ones by which I came 

Where I heard the sound of footsteps and 
pelts. 
The tublets, the chunks, the poles, the sticks. 
It looked like some great manufacturing 
plant 



THE TREND OF LIFE 55 

Where the power was raised by the burning 
flame, 

While the force made all the machinery 
work. 
Connections were perfect, without a flaw; 

All went on smoothly, without a jerk. 
And I saw that naught was connected to 

The poles, sticks, chunks and tublets. 
As perceived before the power pressed through, 

So they must be the power's outlets. 
I drew still closer, and to my surprise 
The whole scene changed before my eyes. 

The tublets became the children of earth, 
The chunks became the animals, 

The poles and sticks became the trees. 
The flowers, the shrubs, e'en the grass was 
there. 

While all were wafted about by the breeze 
Of the very internal force and power. 

I soared quite near to earth again 

To look more closely at the women and 
men. 
Many were attracted by the cathedral there, 

The cathedral of precious stones. 
Some walked toward it bowing their heads, 

Some bent their knees as though in prayer. 



56 THE TREND OF LIFE 

O, Mammon, for mammon was all they said, 
And I noticed six temples were built 
around 
This millionaire's handsome mansion. 

Some bowed their heads while walking to- 
ward them; 
Bowed heads seemed quite a fashion. 

I soared forward to see what these temples 
were for. 
Five of which were built of a grayish stone; 
The sixth was but poorly made of old 
wood, 
Which had hardly no color or tone. 

I went to behold what they could really 

mean, 
And there on each one a name was seen — 
Invention, Science, Poetry, Art, 

And Music; while the one that was made of 

old wood 
Was built for worship, for religion stood. 
And around this old building great numbers I 
saw 
Of men and women, e'en children, too ; 
Some on their knees in loud acclamation 

Poured forth their desires in greatest words 
That came to their knowledge, that e'er their 
thoughts knew. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 57 

Some were standing in gorgeous attire, 

In a sociable manner were looking about, 
First nodding at one and then at the other. 
Some acquaintances, undoubtedly, whom 
they had picked out. 
While some, standing with bowed heads, 

Stood silent as in prayer. 
But they manifested a restlessness 
Which seemed to fill the very air 
Which they breathed while standing there, 

While at a distance, quite alone. 
Stood some each with bowed head. 

Their faces were serious, their lips did not 
move, 
Not a sound did they utter, not a word was 
said. 
But sometimes they would turn upward their 
eyes 
With tear-stained lids, their petition they 
breathed. 
Which surely pierced beyond the skies. 
So truthful, so earnest in what they believed, 

I looked beyond the temples of stone 
And behold! aught that was new to my sight. 
Five piles of huge stones placed in a 
circle. 
While a sixth seemed descending from above 



58 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And dropped in the center of the five with a 
crash. 

I heard the sound, there was a great smash, 
For the five were crushed to the very earth. 

But then I saw the fragments appeared 

And to this sixth one in some way adhered, 
Except a few fragments which rolled away. 

I wondered what this could be about, 

So quickly soared forward to find out. 
The first I noticed the great sixth pile 

Consisted of seven stones whole, 
And I saw inscribed o'er all the surface 

"The teachings of the soul." 
And the fragments of each of the five great 
piles 

Spelled a name as they adhered 
To that sixth one of seven whole stones. 

And I read them as they appeared. 
Buddhism, Brahmanism, Mohammedism, 

Judaism, and, ah! Christianity. 
Surely Christianity will not be crushed; 

That is impossible, it cannot be. 
I turned about and saw five knights, 

Each seated on a viscious steed, 
Prancing about in wild confusion. 

No matter how much the knight would 
plead, 



THE TREND OF LIFE 59 

While right opposite, placed in a row, 

Were five ladies, as I could see, 
Each seated the same upon a steed. 

But these seemed passive, quite calm to be, 
While between the rows of ladies and knights 

Were two more steeds that seemed quite 
calm. 
On one was a lady, on the other a knight; 

They seemed to be chanting a soothing 
psalm. 
I looked above the row of knights. 

And behold! what I saw there: 
A sword of flame was flashing bright. 

While its edge so sharp did flare and glare. 
I looked above the row of ladies, 

And behold! there a flaming pen. 
While o'er the couple who in the center were 

Between those rows of ladies and men. 
Something made me stare. 

A sword and pen were crossed o'er their 
heads, 
Flaming like those I had spoken of. 

And right at the point where they crossed 
were 
Had nestled a snow-white dove. 

And now again I saw the six-pointed star, 

Gleaming and glimmering near and far. 



6o THE TREND OF LIFE 

Being placed over the lady and knight. 

Again it lighted all earth around, 

As before I could not hear any sound. 
Then all vanished and passed from my sight 

And I found myself again in my home, 
Just where I was before I had gone 

To take the trip beyond the skies. 
But now I heard a voice speaking in poetry — 

A voice distinct and audible; who could it be? 
I looked around to behold with my eyes; 

I saw no one, no one could I see. 
Yet I heard that voice speaking in poetry, 

Which said, " I (the Soul) doth thee efface, 
To give thee thy mission, to-day to command, 
That thou shalt a pen hold in thy hand 

And shalt this revelation before the world 
place." 
And the Soul said to me, "Thou hast seen 

the plan. 
That through that one flue is directed to earth 
and to man. 

And thou must describe it thus that each 
may behold 
Who may read thy description, that each may 
know 

That all was, is, is not just so; 
That everything progresses and doth unfold, 



THE TREND OF LIFE 6i 

Not only the flowerlet, the plant, the tree, 
Not only outward forms doth grow as we 
see, 

But the power that is pressing through all 
life; 
That each that holds individuality 

Must progress, strive on, until each will be 
Perfection, beyond all individual strife. 

For as the atom is pure substance alone, 

So "Soul Being," perfection's only zone, 
That ego from which all life, power and force, 

Soul being the offspring of God, 
Of " Infinite Wisdom," " Infinite Love," 

First generation of the " Sourceless Source." 

And the Soul said: 

" I, the Soul, will tell thee just what to write, 
For thou shalt declare the dawn of earth's 
night. 

As thy revelation doth its sixth era instill 
According to God's law, according to His will. 

For the fifth is nearing each day to its close, 
Yet ere it can finish, ere its truth onward flows, 

All connected therewith must be made clear. 
That the " Merry Xmas Time" may ever live 
near. 



THE MERRY XMAS TIME. 

The Merry Xmas Time, 

For each day bringeth its sorrows, 

Each day bringeth its joys. 
Each day reveals its sunshine, 

Each day breathes forth its sighs. 
Yet there is not any time in the year 
When there is so much gladness near 

As the " Merry Christmas Time." 

Each child waiteth with patience. 

With joyous, longing heart, 
While the parents behold the happiness 

That Santa Claus will impart. 
They can see before the look of joy 
That betokens Santa Claus in each child's eye, 

At the " Merry Christmas Time." 

Even the little orphans. 

The little ones who have no home. 
Look forward to Christmas with gladsome 
heart. 
As they through life in loneliness roam. 
For they know that Santa Claus remembers 

them. 
Even no one may all the year before then, 
But at the '' Merry Christmas Time." 



THE TREND OF LIFE 63 

Each one inhales the odor 

Of Santa Claus's evergreen trees. 

Each one beholds their flaming tapers with joy, 
While their incense wafts forth a breeze 

Of joyousness to each and all, 

Who perceive therein love's, charity's call, 
Birth of the " Merry Christmas Time." 

And the five-pointed star, as the symbol of its 
light, 
Over nineteeen hundred years ago 
Reflected its five points in the darkness of 
night, 
Of humanity's superstition and woe. 
Its five points were charity, love and truth. 
Peace and good-will to the aged, the youth, 
Message of the " Merry Christmas Time." 

And He who was born as the child of its light, 

Jesus, whom all earth could not mar, 
He taught love, truth, not He was the might, 
That truth and love was the light of that 
star, 
But humanity hath His words misconstrued. 
While priestcraft has usurped and blackened 
their good. 
The teachings of the " Merry Christmas 
Time." 



64 THE TREND OF LIFE 

But those five points will flash forth again 

Into earth's darkness, brighter than before; 
More children of light will be born unto men, 

Not the same ones who were here before, 
For they have completed their mission here. 
They have done all they could for man and 
earth's sphere, 
They have revealed the "Merry Christmas 
Time." 

Already is seen a six-pointed star; 

Its sixth point will harmony in all instill. 
Its messengers are already in the field 

To reveal its true light, God's will to fulfill, 
And its true light will bring peace to all, 
While its true child will just know earth's 
call. 

Will fulfill the ''Merry Christmas Time." 

And its true child will not say worship me, 

No more than the true Christ said it before, 
But accept my teachings, love, truth and 
charity; 
Let them pierce through to the very core 
And let each reveal the light near and far. 
Let each be the might of the six-pointed star, 
Thus make all time the "Merry Christmas 
Time." 



MAKE ALL TIME THE "MERRY 
CHRISTMAS TIME." HOW? 

By knowing the law of co-relationship, 

Not clinging to earth's cold etiquette's whip. 

Criticism, which hath prejudice installed, 
By which earth's child to-day is walled. 

Not because it must be so, 
But because man will not know 

That he is trifold being, doth live on, 
Discarding one garb just another to don. 

Will not know that he doth represent 
Earth's only form to which God hath lent 

His very likeness, but in miniature degree 
Of essence to wade through life's deep 
sea. 

Of essence to ether, and ether to earth, 
Wherein man finds his outward birth, 

Just to return to ether, again 
To essence, completing thus God's plan. 
65 



66 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Will not know by the plan of the outward we 

see 
Just what God's plan of the inward must be. 

And unless he discards his isms and creeds, 
Takes unto himself all the good that he needs, 

No matter from where its source, its light, 
Just so through his conscience he can say, 
" 'tis right." 

He can never behold the light of soul 

And climb the stairway that leads to life's goal, 

For kingcraft and priestcraft have so drawn 

man on 
Till veiled from soul's knowledge (the light of 

earth's dawn). 



THE EXPLANATION OF THE 
WORKINGS OF THE "MACHIN- 
ERY OF NATURE." 

The immortal burning flame of soul, raising 
the power of intelligence, through life or force 
pressing it through the vast channels or flues 
of the great boiler (the universe of things), 
to be propelled outward through the wonderful 
engine (mind) which possesses a reverse action, 
its governor (the will) at times turning to the 
outward to receive impression, so it may, 
through lubrication (truth of outward form), 
propel forth knowledge of outward form out- 
lined, at times turning to the inward, so it may, 
through inspiration (truth of inward form), 
propel forth, through perception of outward 
form outlined, the teachings of the soul. 

Being directly connected to the great fly- 
wheel (of time and sense), to its hub (percep- 
tion), which extends its five spokes (the 
senses), to uphold its casting (time or eter- 
nity). 

The power of intelligence, being propelled 
67 



68 THE TREND OF LIFE 

more outward by the smaller wheels and belts, 
or by being involved into germination, growth, 
unfoldment, has its outlet through the tublets, 
chunks, poles and sticks, or through man, the 
animals, the vegetation of earth. 

While the smaller boiler, toward which one 
flue is extended, is earth's laboratory of na- 
ture, ever changing essence into ether, com- 
pacting ether into substance, expelling through 
its exhaustion spout, earth (substance in its 
crudest form), which, through the great laws 
of vibration, cohesion, and attraction, forms 
the sphere on which man lives. 

And if man wishes to know why he lives on 

earth's sphere. 
The soul will tell, since conditions are here. 

" For verily I say unto you, ye shall be 
born again." — The Bible. 



PART I. 



A REHEARSAL BY THE SOUL. 

INVOCATION. 

Heavenly Father, Thy will be done, 
For Love and Truth and Thou art one, 

Help man to know Thy heart, Thy face. 
So he may find his dwelling place 

In Thee, all life and power combined, 
In wisdom his resurrection find. 

And know that all holds place in worth, 
And all that here hath form on earth, 

Is sent to ope' the door of soul, 
That the light of man's eternal goal 

May brighten all the paths of life 
And kill the germs of struggle, strife, 

The venomous poison of disease and sin, 
So that on earth new life may reign; 

So man may live a higher thought, 
The establishment of Thy law be wrought; 
69 



70 THE TREND OF LIFE 

So man may throw off the fetters of self 
As devouring life's bread upon time's shelf; 

May know that he hath power to kill 
All sickness, sin, through mind and will. 

" May know that as the individual is ever de- 
pendent upon the whole, so the whole is ever 
dependent upon the individual." 

THE REHEARSAL. 

In the beginning was God, with whom was 
the word which said, " Let there be light, and 
there was light." Why? 

Great, grand mind, that e'er expresseth 
What has not been seen or heard, 

That which cometh from within it presseth 
Outward; what is not, yet is preferred. 

Think not it is a vain illusion, 
Think not it is a powerless cloud 

That for a moment in 'vaporation floats. 
Just forever to leave the crowd 

Of human thoughts, human expressions, 
Human works, or labor wrought. 

To be scheduled as a mere nothing done. 
Or a mere nothing thought. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 71 

For the world hath gloated forward 
Toward the shrine of outward things, 

Toward what can be seen, all sensed, 
Fostered by the sense it brings, 

While purpose of power within that worketh, 
Purpose of force that presseth out 

All that is external, heard of, sighted, 
All that man e'er thought about, 

Beateth morbid in life's pulses, 

Dwelleth as extinct with most, 
While the outward forms expressed are, 

Which are but the power's ghost. 

Not the pov/er is the ghost of 

What in outward form is seen. 
E'en though apparitions appear 

Mist of what the form hath been. 

Since the power within still worketh. 
Presses through with greater force 

Through the misty form of substance. 
Since through power is the source 

Of all form, class, and specie. 

Through attraction taking on 
Atoms, molecules, and we see 

Earth's completed form doth don. 



72 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And we know that form could ne'er be 

If intelligence did not burst 
Into conscious concepts, thus outlining 

What was to be formed first. 

And the outward form must e'er be 

E'en more misty, till at last 
Power from itself the atom shaking, 

Losing thus its outward cast. 

For since the outward form we see here 

To the atom has been traced. 
As the atom is the unit 

On which outward form is based. 

And since conscious power molds substance, 

While its force propels it on; 
Then their course much must alike be 

Power by force the atom don. 

Thus the atom is first molding 
Of the power within that beats, 

While earth's outward form completed 
Must have many molds and sheets. 

Just to be again discarded. 

One by one progression's strides, 

When deposing its first molding. 
Closes in eternal tides. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 73 

Of involution, evolution 

Thus soul through power eternally 
Exhales, inhales through the outward 

Forms of individuality. 

Thus the circuit is completed, 

The source swallowing the end, 
The great onement of existence, 

Toward which all in life doth trend. 

And the finer be life's casting, 

The finer that which lubricates, 
The greater is the force and power 

Pressing through the outward crates. 

While the thicker be life's coating, 
More glutinous smear may ensue, 

The more the form the ghost will e'er be 
Of force and power pressing through. 

And now if outward form can be traced 

To the atom unto its source. 
Then the power of intelligence 

Can be traced and all life's force. 

For since the atom is the unit 
On which outward form is based. 

Then the power of intelligence, concepts. 
Source of form can be traced. 



74 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Having donned form for its coating, 

For its organ, instrument, 
Through which it voices all expressions, 

Through which it e'er sends forth the scent 

Of life's laws, natural forces, 

Through the great, vast universe. 

To be recognized through conception. 
Through revealment to rehearse. 

What is left to do, to express 

Through the cast of mind's great wheel, 
To reflect its power, action. 

That the inward might congeal 

With the outward and co-operate. 

That the twain onement instill 
Through conception, revelation. 

So that man may feel the thrill 

Of the depth of mind, perception, 
Hub of the wheel of time and sense. 

So that man may know conception 
Is not pastime, mere pretense. 

That man may know that it is conception 
Is the first outward expression of truth. 

E'en though forms be low or lofty. 
E'en through aged cast or youth. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 75 

For mind's conceptions must e'er precede 
What is revealed through the mind, 

And if not for outward form expressed is, 
Then for the inward it we find. 

Since there is no thought expressed here. 

Not a sound made or disclosed, 
But it hath a purpose, meaning, 

Since by intelligent power disposed. 

In the great trail of time's events 

Following progression's course. 
We find revelation's conceived, perceived. 

Trials applied through all life's force. 

For is it not conception foremost 

That impels a theory out. 
Then by trying what is thought of 

Are discoveries brought about. 

Following all great discoveries 

Comes invention, science, art, 
Which are but matured revelations 

Given through man a body and heart. 

Yet, it is not by what matured are 
That we know what e'er may be. 

Since revelation liveth ever. 

Being the fruit of life's great tree. 



76 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And as progress dictates onward, 

Widening all themes embraced, 
Since revealments through perception mature 

'Tis through them progress doth grace. 

Man and all that man hath e'er done, 

All man was, is, e'er shall be, 
Since progression of evolution 

Sheds the natural decree. 

The result of involution 

All life's sense's tempting snare. 
Leaving each stride as a background, 

As step by step man climbs the stair. 

Wielded on by truth, progression, 

Unto the source from whence he came. 

Unto the great, grand, central onement, 
Lord of all, yet hath no name. 

For is there e'er a word can syllable. 
Can e'er express a onement whole. 

Of all life's scrollwork mind hath revealed. 
Of all that mind yet e'en must scroll, 

And all that is and all that may be, 
And all that e'er to knowledge came? 

Not but all sounds, not but all syllables 
Can e'er express so great a name. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 77 

And now, since mind's conceptions precede 
What is revealed, then from where, 

Since to man there can be nothing that is 
Unless a source it must declare. 

And if man through thought perceiveth 
What is e'er revealed from aught, 

If thought is centered in earth's standpoint 
(matter) 
Then in matter all is sought. 

Which embraces all earth's changes, 

All that is, yet cannot be. 
Having its great scope so centered. 

Deathly, in decay eternally. 

Having for its guide the cloak, but 

While the true form is clasped to earth. 

That which hath true form and power. 
Dormant lives, cannot step forth, 

Since it cannot loose the fetters 
Which so strongly it hath chained. 

Since it cannot break the barriers 
In which it hath been ingrained. 

Step by step involved in substance, 

Step by step in time and sense. 
Just to express through strides progressive 

The force of change or incidents. 



78 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Just to make the substance real, 

More pronounced with power and force, 

Just to pervade all with its knowledge 
Of love and wisdom the power's source. 

Infinite in power of wisdom, 

Infinite in force of love, 
Infinite in being central. 

Toward which all in life must move. 

Infinite in knowledge, presence. 

In time and sense, eternity, 
Within, without, above, surrounding 

Expressed through immortality. 

Can there, then, through death be ending, 
If the source from whence we plod, 

Infinite in scope, eternal, 

The Causeless Cause, or life of God? 

Can there, then, through death be ending, 

E'en of individuality? 
Though death may discard through earth's 
changes 

The outward cast that here we see. 

But what becometh of the inward? 

Oh, is there none? Ah, can it be? 
Is there no inward form or casting 

Of individuality? 



I 



THE TREND OF LIFE 79 

Let us turn unto what earth holds, 

Let us turn to inward strife, 
To inward being as now projected 

Outward into human life. 

Knowing that at first perfection 
Must have been the source of all, 

Knowing, toward its great, grand onement 
It doth beckon us from earth's thrall. 

What is perfection? Love and wisdom, 
Truth all — knowledge — power and fate 

Possessed by infinite state of being, 

From which, toward which to immigrate. 

What is love? Pure thoughts, perception. 

What is wisdom? Just decree. 
What is truth? But action changing 

From a simple to higher degree. 

What is knowledge? Experience, trials. 

What is power? Dictating waves. 
What is fate? Inevitable outcome 

Of what in each being raves. 

What is lustre? Light and sunshine. 

What is joy? Sorrow and grief. 
What is hope? Yea, e'en repentance. 

What is faith? Human belief. 



8o THE TREND OF LIFE 

What is fear? Distrust, superstition. 

What is greed? Envy and crime. 
What is peace? Co-operation 

Through soul-knowledge, power sublime. 

What is hatred? Misunderstanding. 

What is lust? Selfish desire. 
What earth's wealth? Naught but self-seeking, 

Self-gain for self to self-attire. 

What is doubt? Investigation. 

What deceit? But sham of truth, 
Deception's principles pervading 

Not only aged greed, but youth. 

What disease? But imperfection, 

Poverty? But ignorance. 
What is vice? Naught but selfishness 

Of human wants and human chance. 

What is chance? Self-power and forces 
Centered toward a perceived goal. 

What is want? But idle searching 

Amongst past stones that ceased to roll. 

But idleness in gain of wisdom. 

Idleness in gain of love, 
Idleness in grasping knowledge. 

Power and truth where'er we move. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 8i 

What is humbleness? Self-sacrifice. 

What is vanity? Self-pride. 
What is selfishness? But all drifting 

From perfection's goal and side. 

What is greatness? Timely seething. 

What is life? But strength and force. 
What intelligence? But influxion 

From that first and highest source. 

Through the soul, the ego, expressed; 

Through the organ (mind), the wheels 
Of time and sense, e'en germination 

To place its stamps receive its seals. 

Through traits of individual purpose, 
Through reflection from the outward in, 

Through impulsion from the inward outward. 
Just only to regain and win. 

All its power, force, and knowledge, 

Again unto its being's state 
Of love and wisdom, truth, perfection, 

Eternal goal, man's final fate. 

Can there, then, through death be ending 

Of individuality? 
Since the soul a onement knowing. 

All there was, is, e'er shall be? 



82 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Knowest thou not what thy experience? 

Yet consciousness thou dost not hold 
Centered in that great, grand onement, 

Ego, of all that e'er is goaled. 

Bursting into power intelligence. 

Into concepts, source of form, 
Into life, laws e'er controlling, 

Into being, force, and germ. 

Just to express through revelation 

All there was, is, e'er shall be, 
Through conceptions revealed, revealments 

Applied, through all eternity. 

Can there, then, through death be ending 

Of inward individuality? 
Since perfection is first of being. 

While selfishness the state now we see? 

Is the circuit here completed? 

Or at the goal from whence we came. 
Is the sphere of life fulfilled here? 

Ah, then there would be much to blame. 

Infinite wisdom, Infinite love. 

Forcing consciousness into selfish tides 
Ne'er to behold truth's shining face again? 

If it were so, then blessed be the suicides. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 83 

But what is death? But change external. 

E'en like birth an incident, 
The one discarding, the other donning 

A garb merely to place a print. 

Of individual form and being 

On the great sheet of existent life, 

Merely to wade through outward waters, 
Experience, all outward strife. 

The why and wherefore has now been answered 

Of individual being (light); 
The source perfection (central onement) 

Toward which, from which, life's day, life's 
night. 

* * So God created man i?i His own image, in the 
image of God created He him,, m,ale a?id female 
created He them.'' How is man the image of Godf 

INVOCATION. 

Wondrous Being, Trifold Onement, 

Love and Wisdom Infinite 
Eternity, thy watch and timepiece; 

Expression, thy Habeas Corpus writ. 

Shimmering shadows, thy representatives; 

Multitude, thy being's state; 
Essense, truth the lubrication 

Of thy form, the dual trait. 



84 THE TREND OF LIFE 

THE ANSWER. 

Love and wisdom, dual nature; 

Wisdom, power pervading all, 
Having power of knowing inherent 

Masculine trait, father of all. 

Love and wisdom, dual nature; 

Love, the force pervading all. 
Having power of guidance inherent, 

Feminine trait, mother of all. 

Love and wisdom, dual nature; 

Mated into consciousness, 
Soul, the ego, being, offspring 

Of the first great cause causeless. 

Force and power, dual nature 

Of consciousness, the ego, the soul. 

Power of knowing, force of being. 
Traits of man's eternal goal. 

Force and power, dual nature 

Of God's brain, force of all life. 
Power of knowing, form, expression. 

Withdrawing from which, createth strife. 
Bursting forth in power, intelligence 

Into knowledge, dictating waves 
Into individual channels (concepts), 

Through which all power seethes and raves. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 85 

Bursting into force or spirit 

Life, propelling, pressing through 

All expression, form, existence. 
Beast and plant, insect and you. 

Through all flora, vegetation. 

Through all fauna, animals. 
E'en through sun and solar system, 

Through progress, change, raises and falls. 

Through involution, evolution, 

Through compact substance, ether or space, 
Where'er the ear or eye may turn to, 

Force and power the senses grace. 

Involution, evolution, 

All expression's dual trait, 
Step by step the stairs descending 

Again upstairs to immigrate. 

By force and power, dual nature 

Of consciousness, the ego, soul. 
Having mated into concepts, atoms, 

Offspring of man's eternal goal. 

Concepts, onement of individual being. 

Atoms, unit on which outward form is based. 

Concepts molding, atoms forming, 
Thus individuality is placed. 



86 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Involution, evolution, 

Mated into mortal sod, 
All concepts, all force and being, all atoms, 
all substance, 

Trifold onement, image of God. 

A concept involved, a body evolved, 
Through wondrous mechanism and plan 

The concept established, the body completed, 
Miniature image of God — man. 

EXPLANATION. 

The image of God existing in the trifold 
onement of Soul, Spirit and Substance is em- 
bodied by soul, through spirit, into essence, 
ether and matter, being expressed in different 
degrees, through all forms of life. 

Yet no form of earth life (except man) holds 
all the elementary ingredients of substance, can 
lay claim to all the gifts of soul, can inherit all 
the traits of spirit, thus by his great inheritance 
is created eligible to the state of perfection 
(which is the very likeness of God). 

Yet, before man can reach the state of per- 
fection, he must first attain the state of per- 
ception, which is the medal of God, the hub 
of the wheel of time and sense, the sight of 



THE TREND OF LIFE 87 

the soul, the eye of the mind and the highest 
call of earth's life. Through which power, to- 
day, man can express the likeness of God 
according to the existent truths of the day as 
expressed through all forms of life, which as 
male and female express, according to the 
knowledge of the day, the dual trait of God 
(Love and Wisdom). Therefrom, 

If men possess more strength of wisdom, 
Women possess more force of love; 
And wisdom is not without love, 
Neither is love without wisdom. 
The one the other must endower. 
So each the other may have power. 
Therefore, is the marriage tie so prized; 
Therefore, what God has joined together 
Let not man rend asunder. 
So life's vast system may be equalized, 

And not in discord live on, 

Chained in the bottomless pit 

By horny demons reigning, holding sway, 

Piercing the heart with envy. 

Jealousy, crime, and vice, 

Clouding the light of soul's eternal ray. 



8S THE TREND OF LIFE 

But clasp the hand of friendship, 

In co-operation to plod, 

Whether in church, the home, the street, the 

hall. 
Not one is more than another. 
E'en though it seems not true, 
Yet, some day we'll be reconciled to all. 

And most of all the fathers. 

The mothers here on earth, 

Could they but know, to live is to fulfill 

One law, 'tis God's, while being 

Bound by the marriage tie. 

Then home would be a perfume of good will. 

But ah! to-day the home air 

Is filled with discontent, 

Inharmony, impatience, hatred, lust; 

And why? Because humanity 

Each one lives to serve self, 

In sensuality's claim has placed his trust. 

And so the little infants 

Trusted unto our care 

Live but reflections here of circumstance. 

Live in conditions prepared. 

As time and tide flow on, 

And thus become the children of mere chance. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 89 

But when earth's worldly parents 
Will seek to comprehend 
That they, as fathers, yes, as mothers, too, 
Must fill the home with harmony, 
That of their lives the trend 
Will teach the children what they ought to 
do. 

Then will the strength of wisdom, 
Then will the force of love 
Reveal unto the little ones its power, 
Teach them the way of duty 
To man and God above. 

So knowledge, truth, their lives here may 
endower. 

For as long as man and woman hold the 
marriage tie as one established to satiate their 
sensual desires, and, when satiated, they can 
be separated just to begin over again, just so 
long will there be burglars, pick-pockets, mur- 
derers, confidence-men, and drunkards. 

Just so long will crime, vice, all sin reign 
on earth. 



90 THE TREND OF LIFE 

**And God called the light day and the darkness 
he called nights What is Gods day and inghtf 

INVOCATION. 

Infinite father, power pervading; 

Infinite mother, force of being; 
Infinite onement, knowledge, guidance 

Through perception ever seeing. 

ANSWER. 

Perception? Sight of soul, the mind's eye. 
Hub of the wheel of time and sense. 

Innermost power of outward knowledge, 
Lubrication of truth, essence. 

Innermost power of light or lustre. 

Innermost being of joy or life, 
Centermost center of all force and power, 

Recipient of experience, strife. 

Innermost sense of all man's senses. 
Outermost vision of soul, mind's eye. 

Recipient of human, experience, 
Expectorant of light and joy. 

Recipient of outward impression. 
Digested through the organ (mind). 

Expectorant of all intelligence 

Through inspirational force outlined. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 



Inspiration and impression, 

Dual trait of the organ (mind), 
Inspiration, soul's all-knowledge, 

Impression, outward form outlined. 

Inspiration and impression 

Mated into perception, soul's sight 

Unchained, infiniverse, fettered, the universe, 
Eternal day, eternal night. 

^^ A?id God said: Let the waters be divided from 
the waters.'' Why did God divide the waters 
from the waters? 

an expression of perception unto god, 
answering: 

Heavenly Father, Thou, who art all-knowledge. 

Thou, who art all-being. 

Mother, Father — parent of all. 

Unto Thee we turn through all life's call. 

Be it for man or be it for beast. 
In greatest form or in the least. 

Though man, molded in thy likeness, God, 
Though beast not so, yet all is good. 

Thy waters are the sea of life, 

Through which thy concepts wade in strife. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 



Be they large or be they small, 

Yet all are good, since from Thee, all. 

For Thou dost make nothing in haste 
And thou dost let naught go to waste. 

Fettered in time and sense through eternity, 
The purpose for each will ever be. 

Until some day. Thou unchained realm 
Wilt dictate change, thus overwhelm 

All darkness, gloom on earth below. 
What thou wilt dictate, will be so. 

For progress, yea, doth e'er stride on 
Impulsion's garb from night to morn. 

Morn, which breaks into noon-tide's light 
Of eternal day, ending all night. 

Yea, thy waters are the sea of life. 
Through which thy concepts wade in strife. 

Division, sex-individuality 

To express the dual-trait form of Thee. 

DUAL-TRAIT FORM OF GOD. 

Dual-trait form, love and wisdom. 

Wisdom, power pervading all 
Love, the force from which all guidance. 

From which all life, in large or small. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 93 

Wisdom, power, strength, perception, 
Expressed through life in outward form. 

Love, the force, mother of being. 

Expressed through the fructiferous germ. 

Love and wisdom, dual nature 

Of God, mother — father — parent of all. 

Expressing through the soul, the ego, 
His dual trait what e'er life's call. 

All birth life's state of muliebrity. 

All death life's state, the change of life, 

While perception is life's state virility. 

Attained by the sweat of God's brow or 
strife. 

The sweat of God's brow (the unprejudiced 
thought). 

Which ever drops forth in pearly beads 
Of truth unto the children of earth. 

Gathered by the child who seeks and heeds. 

' ' Therefore, seek and thou shalt find, ask and 
to thee shall be give7i, rap and to thee shall be 



But as long as the thought of man is fettered 
by prejudice, criticism, and doubt, just so long 
will he seek and not find the bread of life 



94 THE TREND OF LIFE 

(knowledge); will he ask and not be able to 
recieve the medal of God (perception); will he 
rap and not be capable of opening soul's door 
so he may enter the realm of love and truth. 

And God said: ''''Let there be a firmament in the 
midst of the watefs'' What is that firmament? 

That firmament is the change of life, 
That change that earth calls death, 

When the spirit is severed from the body of 
clay. 
When the soul withdraws life's breath, 

Just to express through another form 
That was formed in the ethereal sphere. 

Through the process of nature was ever effused 
From the material one we saw here. 

For the chemist in his laboratory to-day 

Changes matter into ether; 
Now, man does not do one stroke of him- 
self, 

But mimics what God does through nature. 

Thus nature is master, while man is the child, 
Who ever his master's apprentice must be. 

By attuning himself unto nature's laws. 
Thus only understand and clearly see 



THE TREND OF LIFE 95 

That ether casts matter when made to blend, 
Where matter is formed as nature's stand- 
point, 

And nature's laws hath nothing e'er joined 
That cannot be separated, be it ever so faint. 

So as man etherealizes dead substance to-day, 

Nature has ever done it before, 
And not only the dead, but the conscious, too. 

Wherein is the new birth, when the spirit 
doth soar, 

Leaving earth's sphere for the ethereal realm 

To continue the expression there of earth life, 

For each living creation is a laboratory of 

nature. 

And earth's conscious desire makes there all 

strife. 

WHAT IS STRIFE? 

Strife? Experience, movement of progression, 
The language by which God doth dictate. 

Step by step each stride expressed is 
Word by word announced life's fate. 

Whether for individual being. 

Whether for country, nation, or race, 

Whether through peace or direful warfare, 
Yet all progression's path doth trace. 



g6 THE TREND OF LIFE 

What is progression? Grasping knowledge 
Of all that may in life's path be strewn, 

Investigation of cause and outcome, 
Till final result is clearly known. 

Final result? A matured concept, 

Revealed without a flaw or taint, 
Though modeled first in grossest substance. 

Embellished first with darkest paint. 

Yet knowledge ever nurtures progress. 
Which ever reveals a finer contour. 

Ever extends a refining power 

To all concepts till they are pure. 

To God's concepts (all life and being). 

To man's concepts (molded sod), 
God's being altered, while man's are chang- 
ing 
Through progress, knowledge, God's word, 
God's rod. 

Therefrom a proverb: Kjiowledge, the rod of 
God, ever giveth power ujito His word — Progress. 
What is knowledge? 

Knowledge, that all-expounding factor (both 
rod and wand of God), which cleanseth the 



THE TREND OF LIFE 97 

channels of the mind, thus unfettering the per- 
ception of man, so that thought may be ex- 
pressed by taking its course forward into 
understanding and wisdom. 

Not, as many believe, are thoughts mere 
effervescent nothings, whatever their manifesta- 
tions, but expressions of reflection and impul- 
sion caused by aught that may exist in the 
pathway of life, being impressed upon the brain 
or the sensitive plate that has set in relief all 
that man to-day doth know. 

The depth of the impression is dependent 
upon the knowledge obtained; it is, therefore, 
advisable to seek for information and learn 
wherever man may be, or whatever may pre- 
sent itself (regardless of ist and ism), for knowl- 
edge strengtheneth the mind and bestows 
intelligent power. Intelligence (the power of 
God) is the foundation of life, the commanding 
force of humanity. By it life's pathways are 
marked, life's individual traits of character are 
molded, and the deeds or workmanship of man 
through life are dependent upon the power 
thereof. 

The workmanship of man is ever being 
swayed by the rod of God (knowledge). 



98 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Since all-knowledge is man's final result, 
Be it obtained through darkness or light; 

Be it obtained through grief or sorrow, 
In day's bright sunshine or in the night. 

Be it obtained through deeds o'ershadowed 
With darkest crime, transgression, sin. 

Or following God's way, progression. 
Through truth, the medal of love to win. 

Yet, each action results in knowledge. 

If it dictates remorse or pain; 
A better, more excellent way will be sought for. 

And thus progression (God's way) doth gain. 

If it dictates love or gladness. 

Rejoicing, harmony, or peace. 
Then will contentment ever sustain it, 

And thus progression will stride on, ne'er 
cease. 

For progression is all goodness, harmony, 
Beheld through love or wisdom (love's mate), 

Comprising all the pure and beautiful. 
The work of the soul, man's final fate. 

But man's fate (personal), inevitable outcome 

Of what in each being raves. 
Fate? Result of individual progress. 

The listing to God's word which saves. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 99 

How does listing to God's word save? From 
what? Since death is but an incident (the 
change of life), while life is a complete circuit 
of existence, finally resulting in the state of 
perfection, therefore no hell of brimstone and 
fire, what is there to be saved from? 

ANSWER. 

Since progress (God's word) is grasping knowl- 
edge. 

Investigation of cause and effect, 
Since knowledge nurtures, dictates progress, 

'Tis with those two factors man builds erect. 

Upon life's rock (truth), firmest foundation, 
And the winds may blow and the floods arise. 

Yet life's tenement built on truth by knowledge 
Can never be wiped away from life's eyes. 

It may be altered, remodeled, embellished, 
Through progression reveal a finer contour, 

Yet the foundation on which 'tis erected 
Will e'er be the same, will ever endure. 

And by seeking knowledge or information. 
By trying to do the best that man can, 

By listing unto the voice of conscience, 

Through its convictions reveal his life's plan. 



loo THE TREND OF LIFE 

He will e'er be likened unto a wise man. 

Conscience? Dictation of truth from the soul, 
Recieved in full through perception (man's 
mind's eye), 

In minor degree, understanding's parole. 

While he who is idle, sluggish, e'en careless 
In accepting the touches of knowledge 
(God's wand), 

In following truth's movement (progression) 
Will find himself launched on faltering sand. 

Will thus be likened unto the foolish. 

For as soon as the voice of conscience is heard, 

That moment man is made responsible 
For every act of God's being interred 

In self, the you-man form of expression. 
Man? Coat for the ego, the soul (the true 
you), 
Who takes his place in God's plan through 
eternity, 
As a tublet through which intelligence is 
pressed through. 

And all that God doth ask of man here 

Is to keep himself clean in thought(the within), 

In body the outward, for if man will do that 
There will be no sickness, there will be no sin. 



THE TREND OF LIFE loi 

Since cleansing mind's channels within man's 
perception 
Will thus be unfettered, soul will through 
him see, 
Through inspiration can express it's knowl- 
edge 
Of what is best, what is best to be. 

Can reveal the right method of cleansing the 
outward, 
Can dictate correct forms of nourishment, 
food, 
Can express all that in life is needful 
For all in life, for man's greatest good. 

And thus man, through cleansing mind's 

channels, extending 
With knowledge, through progress their way 

to the goal 
Of perception, sublimest state of being, 
"!^In which man can see God's face as the 

whole 

Great, grand, harmonic plan of eternity, 

Can behold corelationship of each to 
aught. 

Can percieve formality, know what is real. 
What is born to live and what is not; 



102 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Can receive the knowledge to foster the out- 
ward, 
Can interpret the voice of conscience 
within, 
Thus save himself by listing unto it, 
From all disease and from all sin. 

Then will man have pure thoughts, thus behold 
love 

In all its glorious, ecstatic state. 
Will understand that the material realm 

Is of an ethereal one, but the mate. 

And every laboratory that day on earth 
stationed 
Will prove that no matter is laid on earth's 
plate. 
But can through change become gas or ether. 
And thus be turned over to its feminine 
mate. 

And there is no move in the ethereal realm, 
But will that day demonstrate unto man's 
eye 

Just how ether is compacted into all matter, 
And through condensation doth cease to 

fly; 



THE TREND OF LIFE 103 

Will bring to the understanding of earth's 
child, 
That force is concentrated by thought, 
That toward whatever point man excavates 
mind's channels, 
His goal will be achieved, his purpose be 
wrought. 

If man will be idle, not excavate any. 

Poverty, vice, crime, disease is the result, 

Thus man through not listing unto God's word 
Is launched in hell (all life's tumult). 

Enter ye in, therefore, at the straight gate, 
for wide is the gate (idleness) and broad is the 
way (want) that leadeth unto destruction (pov- 
erty, crime, vice, disease), and through idleness 
of grasping knowledge or listing unto God's 
word, many there be who go in thereat. 

Because straight is the gate (co-operation, 
God's law) and narrow is the way (progression, 
God's way) that leadeth unto life (perception), 
sublimest state of being on earth, that of 
brotherly love, manifesting itself in harmony 
with all expressions, but through idleness of 
grasping knowledge or listing unto God's word, 
clinging to ist, ism, and creed, few there are 
who have found it. 



I04 THE TREND OF LIFE 

For Earth, most entirely wrapped in gloom, 
The darkness of night seems everywhere, 

And it seems as though some terrible doom 
Is to be foretold, is to be man's share; 

That all for man there is to be 

Darkness and death through eternity. 

For the thief doth enter at the broad of day, 
Doth murder and rob whate'er in his way. 

While the father disowns his very child 
Because against his will a marriage hath filed. 

Thus the father rises against his son, 

And his son, that he might proclaim his own, 

Doth stab the father, killeth him dead, 
Placeth the mother on a sick bed. 

While most rich, the rulers of earth to-day, 
With their horded gain profess to say 

That they are progression, while their jeweled 

crowns 
Are being sustained by blackened ones. 

Yea, they worship wealth, their cathedral was 

seen 
With its outward jewels, its glittering sheen, 



THE TREND OF LIFE 105 

While their methods of gaining tneir plenteous 

galore 
Were also revealed through the cathedral's 

door. 

Yet the children of earth do covet to-day 
That gain, with bowed heads on their knees they 
pray 

For all the luxuries that it doth bring 
To the body, but to the soul a sting. 

And the body returns to ashes and dust, 
While the soul lives on, devours each crust 

That may be placed upon time's shelf, 
Not resting until self conquers self. 

But man for ashes and dust doth pray. 
And not for truth, the eternal ray 

Of light that can all to man bestow. 
Knowing all whate'er there is to know. 

Yes, man bows his head to the temples of earth, 
Not knowing from soul they had their birth, 

By soul conceived, through spirit revealed. 
Through man expressed, God's concepts 
sealed. 



io6 THE TREND OF LIFE 

While part of humanity sees, perceives more 
Than others who have not yet beheld soul's 
door, 

Have not yet discerned it's wrappings to inter- 
pret, 
Through perception reveal what soul did beget. 

Thus humanity ever declares two decrees: 
The one is blindness, the other man sees. 

Ever lives through three states of earth life, 
The physical, mental, moral, all personal strife; 

Ever doth immigrate to another sphere. 
The mate of the one he lives on here, 

Just to complete what he has left undone. 
In personal being what he has begun; 

To rectify each and every act. 
For the pangs of conscience will hold him 
intact. 

For, as he here did plow what he here did sow, 
He will surely reap all and he will know 

Just what he did sow while plowing here. 
For the network in the air will make it clear 



THE TREND OF LIFE 107 

That ether that man sheds, through thought, 

on earth, 
Through which the soul expresses in the spirit 

birth. 

Yet to-day man's thought is speckled with 

mud. 
Represented by the five pillars e'en blotted 

with blood. 

Speckled with criticism, envy, and vice. 
With jealousy, crime, life's barterer's price. 

Blotted with the blood of all warfare. 
With persecution, the poor man's share. 

The tenth Psalm of David: 

"Why standest thou afar off, O Lord? 
Why hidest thou thy face in times of trouble? 
The wicked (earth's rulers) in his pride (greed) 
doth persecute the poor. Let them (earth's 
rulers) be taken in the devices that they have 
imagined. 

' ' For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire 
(wealth), and blesseth the covetous (those who 
bring him gain), whom the Lord abhorreth. 

''The wicked, through the pride of his coun- 
tenance (selfishness), will not seek after God; 
God is not in all their thoughts. His ways 



io8 THE TREND OF LIFE 

(vice and crime) are always grievous. Thy 
judgments (righteousness) are far above out of 
his sight; as for his enemies (those who ask for 
help), he puffeth at them. 

*'He hath said in his heart, I shall not be 
moved (with compassion), for I shall never be in 

adversity Arise, O Lord! O God, 

lift up thine hand, forget not the humble. 
Wherefor doth the wicked contemn God? He 
hath said in his heart. Thou wilt not require it. 
Thou hast seen it, for thou beholdest mischief 
and spite (all crime and vice), to requite it with 
thy hand (experience). The poor committeth 
himself unto Thee. Thou art the helper of the 
fatherless. 

"Break Thou the arm (ignorance) of the 
wicked and the evil man (murderers, thieves); 
seek out his wickedness (faults) till thou find 
none (help him to perceive). The Lord is 
king for ever and ever; the heathen (those who 
have slain the martyrs of truth) are perished 
out of his land. Lord, thou hast heard the 
desire (prayer) of the humble. Thou wilt pre- 
pare their hearts (minds), thou wilt cause thine 
ear to hear, to judge (sympathize) with the 
fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of 
the earth (earth's rulers) may no more oppress. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 109 

The tenth Psalm of David, written according 
to the needs of the day. 

Knowledge of soul, why so remote? 

Why so obscured from the view 
Of the children of earth, while thy beings float. 

Shedding tears like the glittering dew; 

Descending and resting upon each flower, 

Upon each plant and tree. 
To freshen and soothe the aerial bower. 

From languish and thirst to set free? 

So their tears like the dewdrops are shed 

For all on earth here below; 
They grieve for the wrongs, the hearts that are 
bled 

With the hardships of life and the woe, 

That overwhelmingly overtakes each one 

Through their course sometime, somewhere; 

They long to help see justice done. 
In readiness always stand there. 

Yet the poor too much grieved, and the rich 
will not hear 

The tale of the soul so bright. 
As its children stand in voices clear 

Through inspiration declare the light 



no THE TREND OF LIFE 

That bids them come out of darkness to light, 
And see where their footsteps go, 

Hear the voice of the helper, percieve the 
might 
That doth help life's ebb and flow. 

For the strong ever impoverish the weak. 

Yet, how can it be otherwise? 
Since e'en those who desire to do good 

Go at it blindly with closed eyes. 

They feel that life's pulses beat within, 
Yet, at the first sign of inward knowledge 

Think they possess all, God's medal to win. 
From a spoonful of truth make a scythe for 
life's hedge; 

A scythe of tradition and superstition, 
Smelted out of the past and gone. 

Not in accordance with the needs of the day, 
But modeled after some ancient morn. 

Not in accordance with life's pulse's beat. 
Not in accordance with what they meet. 

And because their teachings will not be heard, 
To prejudice and jealousy are stirred. 

Materialists call theologists fools. 
While theologists call materialists tools. 



THE TREND OF LIFE iii 

Not knowing it is by the outward we see, 
Just what the trend of the inward must be; 

That unless they both work hand in hand, 
They never can foster what God hath planned. 

Not knowing that each thought, each act 
Is given power and held intact 

By the soul (Cerebrum of God), 

And therefore all there is must be good. 

Yea, each name on earth is a needful one 
To perfect earth's life since it was begun, 

So God's great law may be fulfilled. 
And all know His way as God has willed. 

Yet materialists think that they possess 
The highest teachings mankind to bless. 

While theologists teach man to serve God 
With fear as each through life doth plod. 

While all who teach believe to take 
The mighty dollar for truth's dear sake. 

Thus serve two masters, God and pelf. 
Which ever worketh against truth's self. 

' * Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. ' ' 



112 THE TREND OF LIFE 

And yet the flesh needs nourishment, 

A place to shelter it 
From outward abuse material, 

For life's battles to outfit. 

Ah, yes, but here the soul doth say: 
If each one would dig out his way, 

Behold each pebble in life's path 
And turn it over in peace, not wrath. 

Behold just what its shape, its form. 
Discover from where its birth, its germ. 

If it holds worth, then pick it up 
And drop each one within life's cup. 

According to truth give credit deserved, 
For a purpose by it sometime will be served. 

And if it is not the one you seek, 
Do not tramp on it and make it creak 

With your criticism and prejudice, 
But let it live on ever in peace. 

For that pebble might be just the one 
That another is seeking under God's sun; 

Might add and fill another's cup 

To be drained, given for God to sup. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 113 

Through the rays of the six-pointed star, 
Gleaming and glimmering near and far, 

Until all earth by it is lighted, 

Until at all points of the compass sighted. 

Through that wonderful pile of seven stones 

whole, 
On which is written the teachings of soul, 

Which did descend with a crash from above, 
To propel man onward to brotherly love, 

To unearth humanity's debris of time. 
As step by step earth's child did climb 

The mountainside of selfishness. 
Where anchored to-day near its height holding 
mass. 

Holding mass? For what? For God? Ah, 

no. 
To earthly gain their heads they bow, 

Some striving to harvest what others did sow, 
Most scattering seeds that will not grow. 

** PARABLE OF THE SOWER." 

Behold, a sower went forth to sow, and when 
he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside and 
the fowls came and devoured them up. 



114 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Some fell upon stony places where they had 
not much earth, and forthwith they sprung up, 
because they had no depth of earth, and when 
the sun was up, they were scorched and, be- 
cause they had no root, they withered away. 

And some fell among thorns, and when they 
sprung up the thorns choked them, but others 
fell into good ground and brought forth fruit, 
some a hundred-fold, some sixty, and some 
thirty. 

EXPLANATION OF THE PARABLE. 

When anyone heareth the word of the 
kingdom (truth) and understandeth it not, then 
Cometh the wicked one (some particular ist) 
and catcheth away that which was sown in his 
heart. This is he which received seed by the 
wayside. 

But he that received seed into stony places, 
the same is he that heareth the word and anon 
with joy receiveth it, yet hath he not root in 
himself (perception), but dureth for awhile, for 
when tribulation or persecution ariseth because 
of the word, by and by he is offended. 

He, also, that received seed among the 
thorns is he that heareth the word and the care 
of this world and the deceitfulness of riches, 
choke the word and he becometh unfruitful. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 115 

But he that received seed into the good 
ground is he that heareth the word and under- 
standeth it, which also beareth fruit and 
bringeth forth, some a hundred-fold, some 
sixty, and some thirty. 

How can those who desire to do good, to- 
day, bring forth a hundred-fold, some sixty, 
some thirty? 

By entering their dark closet to pray. 
By shutting out the daylight's ray, 

So thought may be concentrated toward one 

goal, 
For thought is attraction's force of soul. 

With desire of truth requesting the soul 
To lead you on to your mission's goal. 

Requesting the Father, Lord, God of all. 
Presenting thus thy petition and call. 

PRAYER. 

Gracious Father, to thee we pray, 
Guide us along each hour, each day. 

Turn us away from the sins of the world 
Into the light where the banners unfurled 



ii6 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Wave in the breeze of brotherly love, 
Banners of truth in the light from above 

Float like a dove about to descend 

In purity's name, sin's courses to wend. 

O, guide us, we need a stronger hand 
To lead us on so we may not strand. 

Or be shipwrecked as life's ocean we sail, 
Braving the storms and beating the gale. 

Restrain us from vices, all selfish deeds. 
Teach us to minister unto the needs 

Of the poor and the wretched, the sick and the 

old; 
Teach us that all that shines is not gold. 

So that we may seek beneath the surface 
And give to each gem its appropriate place. 

How often offended, how often disdained, 
Is a fellow-being because he's not famed, 

As, holding a place, yes, deemed as high 
As another's, no question how hard he may 
try 

To work onward, upward with greater strides. 
No, he's trampled on as the world decides. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 117 

So teach us to seek beneath the surface, 
Disperse the darkness, bring forth each trace 

Of goodness, of purity, love so divine. 
Help us on generous thoughts to dine. 

Let us stretch out a helping hand 

To those who are struggling hard for the land 

Of love, of truth, of righteousness; 
Teach us to judge not according to dress. 

And let it be known as well understood. 

No matter how bad, there is always some good; 

E'en though the coat be dirty and soiled, 
Yet the wearer's heart-strings might well be 
coiled 

With all that would brighten the soul's desire. 
E'en more than the one in costly attire. 

Who, with glittering jewels, earth's wealth 

adorned, 
For all we know his might be thorned. 

Make us acknowledge equality's name. 
For hast thou not given to us the same? 

The soul immortal, the breath of life. 
And will-power to manage life's battle and 
strife. 



ii8 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Yet oft Thy gift through faih'ngs and faults 
Lies hidden far down in earth's darkest vaults; 

Is spotted and stained through idle desire 
Of man's free will, fate's only attire. 

Teach us to seek Thy gift of soul, 

With deeds of goodness, with prayer enroll, 

All those who have stepped aside from the path 
Of truth, not beat them with earth's lath. 

So it may be known, as well understood, 

No matter how bad there is always some good. 

Teach us to brighten Thy gift till it's bound 
By love, truth, and charity, star of hope found. 

What is prayer? Is it merely a petition to 
some worshipped being to grant a desired re- 
quest? Ah, no. Prayer is more than that; 
it is every good thought, every good word, 
every good action or deed given in behalf of 
some one or something; therefore, prayer is 
good, and there is everything in anything that 
is good, for in goodness doth God manifest all 
in all. 

How does God manifest all in all? 

Through life's principle (source) no one knows 
Just what it is, just how God sows 



THE TREND OF LIFE 119 

His seed of wisdom, his germ of love 
Propelling the light of truth from above; 

Though man is a concept of God's plan, 
Yet life's principle can ne'er be a conception 
of man. 

But God is a person, the ego his head. 
And now I will tell you as I was led 

Through soul's inner channels beheld through 

soul's sight 
How God manifests all in all (his might). 



THE REVELATION OF GOD AS A PERSON AS GOD 
EXISTS. 

God standeth with his two feet placed 

Upon earth's sphere, his footstool. 

His right hand wielding his mighty rod. 

His left hand swaying his scepter; 

God's head, the ego, source of form, 

Eternity, his brow. 

His face the great, harmonic plan. 

Smiling on those who bow 

Their head in love, whate'er life's call. 

Through soul. His cerebrum, donator of all. 



I20 THE TREND OF LIFE 

His cerebellum is consciousness, 
While nourishment, his throat; 

His lungs all individual being hold, 
Refined substance, his coat. 

Such substance is God's flesh and blood, 

While wisdom is his seed, 
Love his fructiferous germ of all, 

Whatever life's cast, life's need. 

God's stomach is the organ mind, 
His bowels earth's laboratory. 

His abdomen that one of all things 
Whiche'er excretes love, God's glory. 

His right leg is involution, 

His right foot is all birth; 
His left leg is evolution. 

Left foot death, the passing from earth. 

God's whole right side is black, darkness, 

Symbolic of race and night; 
His whole left side is whiteness. 

Symbolic of color and light. 

His mouth the sense of tasting. 

His nose the sense of smell. 
His right eye sense of feeling. 

His left is sight, all's well. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 121 

His right ear sense of hearing, 

His left perception's light; 
His left eye-lid awakening, 

His right the sleep of night. 

God's right arm innocence, temptation, 

While his hand experience; 
His left arm self-conquest, purity, 

While this hand as the other is, 

Only the right hand wields his rod (knowledge), 
While his left, the scepter of truth, 

The crest of which is embellished 

With the jewels of love, God's youth. 

God's heart is nature, his heart-throbs joy, 

While natural laws, his veins, 
His arteries, the greater ones 

With which God sways and reigns. 

All being, life his spinal cord, 

Inspiration his breath. 
Progressive strides, his spine, back-bone. 

His dung (earth) the stool of birth and death. 

Yea, God's seed is wisdom, his germ love, 

Co-operation his law. 
Progression his way, progress his word, 

Ever dictating without a flaw. 



122 THE TREND OF LIFE 

God's sash or garb, life's workmanship, 
While the state of perfection, his throne; 

His hair revelation, the light of the world, 
Declaring to man here earth's dawn. 

But man will cling to the stench of God's dung, 

And will not accept his breath, 
Will not inhale its lasting aroma, 

That which e'en conquers death. 

AN APPEAL FROM THE SOUL UNTO MAN. 

O man, O man, wilt thou never arise. 

Wilt thou never awaken and open thine eyes, 

And unto thee thy heritage take 

If not for God, then for thine own sake? 

Wilt thou never behold the light that doth shine 
From truth's goal, everlasting shrine? 

For what did God give to thee the earth 
But to discover through it the higher birth. 

So thou mayest breath the more vitalized air 
Of immortality while yet on earth here? 

While yet thou art placed in decaying sod, 
While yet in earth's outward form thou dost 
plod. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 123 

That thou mayest know that earth is not 

end, 
But just where ether into earth doth blend ; 

And that before ether, essence must be 
E're thou canst go on through eternity. 

Again to essence thou must return, 

That while yet on earth thou first shouldst learn, 

Before taking thy place in the ethereal realm. 
That death cannot stupify or e'en overwhelm 

The consciousness, if thou wilt while here. 
Accept what is given by God to earth's 
sphere. 

O man, O man, wilt thou never arise. 

Wilt thou never awaken and open thine eyes 

And behold what thou dost see to-day? 
Not wait for the future or sluggish delay. 

Not cling to what tradition hath brought, 
Not cling to what superstition hath wrought 

Through misunderstanding, love misconstrued. 
Through lack of perception, God's wisdom 
sued. 



124 THE TREND OF LIFE 

THE REVELATION OF GOD AS A PERSON AS MAN 
HAS MADE HIM. 

One night I was weary, retired to my bed, 
When lo! I looked and right over my head 

Appeared what seemed a massive pole. 
I did not sleep, but was clasped in soul, 

And lo! I saw a crossbar appeared. 
Which to this massive pole adhered. 

The two formed a cross, rough and bare. 
And I felt as though some terrible snare 

Was to be revealed, yet e'er I beheld 

I was hypnotized, by the soul was spelled. 

Thus held, I saw on the cross a man 
Exact in copy, perfect in plan, 

As the Christ crucified, as revealed to-day, 
I knew not what to think or say. 

There was the cross, the form upon it. 

There was the crown of thorns on his brow. 

There was the gash in his side, flowing from it 
The blood of the lamb, salvation's vow; 



THE TREND OF LIFE 125 

There were the nails in his hands, bare and 
rusty, 
While his feet were coupled together below, 
And his sash or garb was stained with the 
bloodshed 
That ever from his side did flow. 

I arose ; and then I heard a voice, 

Which said, ** Child of earth, awaken, rejoice, 

And let this thy revelation resound. 
That the key to the bottomless pit may be 
found ; 

For the form you saw was God through man, 
Who was revealed before according to this 
plan, 

So that the child of earth may know 
That all was, is, is not just so; 

That the child of earth may see to-day 
How he, God and man doth crucify and slay 

Through selfishness, with the glaring sword; 
Through greed smiting God's very word; 

Through jealousy, vice, crime, all sin. 
Expecting thus God's medal to win. 



126 THE TREND OF LIFE 

God's medal (perception), the sight of the soul, 
Through which earth's child beholds the whole. 

Great, grand, harmonic plan of eternity, 
And all there was, is, and e'er will be; 

Thus beholds the smiling face of God, 
Ever in brotherly love doth plod, 

Ever is turned toward but one goal. 

Receives * Inspiration,' the bride of man's soul; 

Yea, the virgin bride who gave birth 
Unto the child of knowledge to earth. 

The child of knowledge? Christ (revelation). 
Which was conceived when God's medal was 
won; 

Yea, the child of knowledge, begotten thus 
By the Holy Ghost (soul), humanity to bless 

With its teachings, man's highest moral prin- 
ciples. 
When personified ever to work miracles 

Through that power divine (the Holy Ghost), 

The soul, the cerebrum of God, 
Through co-operation healing disease, 

Through brotherly love life's pathway to sod. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 127 

Revelation is prophesy, truth revealed, 
And he who will first impersonate such 

Is the voice crying in the wilderness (earth), 
** Prepare ye the ways of the Lord," the first 
touch 

Of God's brush for a new era of earth, 

For the close of one of the past and gone, 

For revealing that which was true, yet is not 
Making the way straight for a brighter morn. 

Being the messenger of another one, 

Another impersonator, another son of man; 
So on, till man, through perception, will work 
miracles, 
And through perception will foster God's 
plan, 

Will reveal his inmost being (soul), 

Through self-conquest discard his selfish 
pride; 

Unprejudiced express his thoughts. 
Reveal the Christ personified; 

Through truth and charity, brotherly love, 
The step that proclaims universal aim, 

To 'establish a universal brotherhood 

To which each and all on earth may lay 
claim. 



128 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Ah, when that linking of humanity takes place, 

Of which the six-pointed star is first sign, 
Love, truth, and charity, peace and good-will, 
Equality, the sixth, the wedding-feast's wine. 
Yea, when that great nuptial knot is tied. 
Then there will be a wedding feast for God, 
E'en though the first wine was selfishness. 
The last through perception is brotherly love. 
Yea, the nuptial knot of soul to earth, 
Bound to foster the higher birth, 
Working to cross the sword with the pen, 
That the white dove (peace) may descend 

unto men 
And light upon each and everyone 
Who proclaims love and truth under God's sun, 
Charity, peace, and good-will to all. 
Through perception, the highest state of 
earth's call." 

(The Rehearsal Continued.) 
*' Ye have eyes to see, yet cannot see ; ye have 

ears to hear, yet can7iot hear; ye have minds to 

understand, yet cannot perceive. ' * Why? 

Because man has made a cross and crown; 
The cross is crime and vice, all sin; 

The crown is criticism, prejudice. 

And with it can never God's medal win. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 129 

Man made the cross, thus crucified God, 

By rejecting the touches of knowledge (God's 
wand), 
Fastened his right hand with the nail (selfish- 
ness), 
Placed sorrow and darkness o'er all the land; 

Fastened the other by rejecting truth, 
With the nail of greed, self-gain. 

Placed the crown of thorns upon his brow, 
By clinging to that which must wane. 

Prejudiced against the truth of the day. 

Criticising each new act or call, 
Believing that God spoke through but one son 
of man, 

Not knowing that God speaks through all. 

While those who believe that earth is end. 

Have coupled God's feet below. 
Have nailed them together upon the cross, 

So they more selfishly might sow. 

And not receive dictation of truth 

From a higher source than earth bestows, 

Not accept the touches of soul — knowledge. 
But that which is seen in the outward 
grows. 



I30 THE TREND OF LIFE 

While the rulers of earth with dire warfare 
Have cut the gash within God's side, 

From which flows the blood of innocence, 
For which they will retribute when o'er the 
tide. 

"// shall be paid to the uttermost farthing, ^^ 
How? 

They live in lust and luxury on earth. 
Know not the conditions of the higher birth. 

List not to the voice of conscience within, 
But ever turned toward what they may gain or 
win, 

Ever uphold the host of greed, 
The god of war, persecution's breed. 

But sometime their sword will be laid low. 
When they leave earth, then whither they go. 

The pangs of conscience will them overwhelm, 
Which is brimstone and fire in the ethereal 
realm, 

And the phantom of slaughter, bloodshed, 

warfare, 
Will haunt them, in their faces glare. 

(Yea, they will feel as though lost.) 



THE TREND OF LIFE 131 

In forests deep, at still of the night, 

When all is dark and drear, 
And the busy world's extinguish the light 

In the depths of the darkness they'll 
hear 

The voices of nature whispering low, 

As if to tell their life's tale, 
And shadows like phantoms will float to and 
fro. 

Till away with death's zephyr they'll sail. 

Then in that terrible stillness so dark, 
They'll feel that a voice from within 

Communicates closely and kindles a spark, 
Of the presence of life that's akin 

To each and to all when nature is heard 
In the depths of the dark, still night. 

From the sounds they'll feel that beings in- 
terred 
Had arisen to put them to flight. 

And startled they'll stand as the darkness 
o'ercomes 

Their vision, blindfolded they'll hear 
Life's pulse will beat, they'll feel benumbed, 

In being they'll shudder with fear. 



132 THE TREND OF LIFE 

For they cannot see one step ahead 

In the depths of death's forest so dark, 

They'll long for the light, would it once more 
o'ershed 
All about them, how gladly they'd mark 

Their pathway, so they would ne'er return 
In that terrible darkness so deep, 

But then they must strive until soul's ray will burn 
And awaken repentance from sleep. 

They see not the light that shines from above. 
Tries to cast out its rays o'er their path 

And beckons them on with a father's deep love 
To restrain them from evil and wrath. 

And oft when that light does kindle a spark 
To bring forth the good from within, 

They quench it quickly, return to the dark, 
Through greed evil deeds to begin. 

And so there will be no light to hail. 

When death's moment so dark and drear 

Effaces them so they can set sail 

From this earth for a brighter sphere. 

There will be no light to make them proclaim, 
As a conqueror, make them sing, 

**0 grave, where is thy victory? 
O death, where is thy sting?" 



THE TREND OF LIFE 133 

For they have clothed God in a scarlet robe, 
Dyed red with the blood of warfare, 

That ever from his side doth flow 

From that gash that they have laid bare. 

They have even rent his vesture in twain. 

Cast lots upon his garb 
By persecuting the weak and poor, 

For what they may gain or grab. 

They have rent the veil of God's temple in twain, 
Co-operation (the mist of God's light). 

Thus brought unto man the curse of hell, 
Plunging him into darkness and night. 

And all this was done at the third hour. 

The third era of earth life, 
And though entering into the sixth to-day, 

Yet life's blood still flows by the knife. 

By the sword of steel, the weapon of greed. 

By the selfish desire of man. 
Which rejects the teachings of the soul 

And the teachers of God's plan. 

Who are the teachers of God's plan? 

For as the tide of time is flowing 
Into realms of thought unknown. 

Into the springtide of life's being. 
Where easter-lilies grow full blown. 



134 THE TREND OF LIFE 

It is well to seek the teachers, 
Those who by the soul are bound 

Unto earth and all earth's children, 
Who with jewels of love are crowned, 

Who the pearls of truth can scatter 

Unto humanity, child of earth, 
Who, regardless of ist or ism. 

Can reveal the higher birth. 

For they only who salvation 

As a onement can behold. 
Are the children of the true light, 

Perceive all earth as Isreal's fold. 

And since onement is salvation, 

Creed and sect is selfishness 
Swaying e'er through separation 

The staff of criticism, prejudice. 

Holding e'er the thorny headgear 
Upon God's brow. His snowy hair 

(Revelation) the stone rejected, 
The light of the five-pointed star, 

Which the shepherds beheld while watching 
Their sheep (the children of all earth). 

The shepherds? (the teachers of God's plan). 
Who through soul perceived the higher birth 



THE TREND OF LIFE 135 

Of the son of man through love and truth, 

Charity, peace, and good-will; 
The five-pointed star which was revealed 

The fifth era of earth to instill. 

The fifth era of earth life, its greatest gloom 
(the Bible or the teachings of the sons of man, 
the revelation of the trend of life according to 
St. John), misconstrued; so that God, through 
man (the son of man), having been crucified at 
the third hour (the third era of earthly exist- 
ence), still hangs nailed upon the cross. And 

** Unless man will awaken, arise. 
Behold the truth before his eyes," 

The son of man will hang nailed upon the 
cross until the ninth hour (the ninth era of 
earthly existence), when the majority of human- 
ity will have entered into the spiritual state of 
earth life; giving up the ghost of selfishness 
or having conquered the physical and mental 
states, so that the son of man may arise in his 
glory the third day, or the spiritual state of 
earthly existence. So that the son of man 
may proclaim to his poor brother of earth or 
he who has not yet reached that state: 



136 THE TREND OF LIFE 

O Lazarus, O Lazarus, 

Throw off thy deathly shroud, 
For most three days thou hast lain to stink 

'Till thy stench hath formed a cloud; 

Hath enveloped thee in gloom, in want. 

Hath clouded life's light on earth's sphere, 

O Lazarus, O Lazarus, 

Step forth from out thy bier. 

So that thy sisters may cease to weep, 

Thy sisters (sympathy, grief) 
May cease to wail with sorrow, want. 

Step forth, give them relief; 

Step forth into the higher birth. 

Reveal thyself unto man 
And live thy life, thy only chance, 

According to God's plan. 

For it is but a day that a life from its birth 
To the close of its primal stage here 

To eternity ; 'tis but a day on this earth, 
Though man records time by the year. 

And twelve hours comprises the daylight's time, 
Twelve hours the darkness of night. 

The twenty-four elders before the throne 
Of God through time in its flight. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 137 

Twelve hours of night (the first two states) 

Enveloped in the senses sight, 
Twelve hours of day (the spiritual state) 

Enwrapped in perception's light. 

Twelve hours of night (the old testament), 
Man's physical, man's mental state. 

Twelve hours of day the new testament 
Proclaiming man's final fate. 

Where life speeds on to the throne of God, 

Perceiving the elders' flames, 
The seven bright candles that through time 
will burn. 

Clothed by man in different names; 

Through the creed of the church, the ism of sect, 
Until the great onement takes place. 

When God will walk amongst man on earth. 
Through the son of man will life grace. 

When each will behold his shining face, 

The great, harmonic plan. 
Shining as bright as the rising sun, 

Smiling upon earth and man. 

When each one will have withdrawn the bolt 
That man placed at the top of soul's door — 

That bolt (prejudice) so truth's bright ray 
May illuminate man evermore. 



138 THE TREND OF LIFE 

When each will behold the virgin bride 

No longer travailing in birth, 
When the children of knowledge have all come 
to man, 

When self has conquered all earth. 

When God's hair so white is beheld by each 
one. 

And His feet that are like fine brass, 
Will be known to be life's birth and death, 

Will be known as some mountain pass. 

The first leading to the selfish height 
Of which man most strives to know. 

The last leading to the Mount of Olives, 
Where the tree of life doth grow; 

Where an olive is ripening for each one 

(A revelation for man), 
With which he can foster himself and all earth 

And thus ever foster God's plan; 

With which he can speak words of wisdom and 
love. 

With which he can give life's account. 
Rehearse the existent truths of the day. 

Preach a sermon from that mount. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 139 

A SERMON FROM THE MOUNT OF THE OLIVES OF 
LIFE, ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS OF THE DAY. 

O, son of earth, just know thyself, 

Just turn to the within, 
And know that thou art well equipped. 

Life's battles to fight and win. 

Whatever may be earth's call, earth's need, 

Whate'er may be effaced. 
For the power of God flows through thy 
form. 

And with knowledge thou canst be graced. 

If thou wilt withdraw from worldly lust. 

And enter thy closet to pray. 
Shut door and window that alone with your 
God, 

E'en withdrawn from the daylight's ray. 

So thought may be concentrated toward one 

goal. 
For thought is attraction's force of soul. 

Yes, you may bow to the temples of stone, 

Yet worship God in truth. 
Just so His principle dwells at home 

In your closet, for there, forsooth, 



I40 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Is naught to attract the eye or mind 

From thy aspiration's bright; 
Nothing to react the force of thought, 

Which reveals the inmost light 

Of soul, which to man can all bestow, 
Knowing all whate'er there is to know. 

But you need not list to another's words, 
Take for granted his knowing power 

And follow blindly within his steps. 
For thus you ne'er can endower 

Thyself with that which thou most doth 
need 

To behold the light of life, 
For self must take each step for self 

To conquer self, thus strife. 

And that which is thy most desire. 
As thou through life dost plod, 

Marks out thy path, dictates thy goal, 
Man's desire declares his God. 

And each may pray from morn to night, 

Influenced by creed or ist. 
Yet if earnest desire impels not forth 

The words that speak the request, 



THE TREND OF LIFE 141 

The force of thought is lost to soul, 

Since its impulse is not there. 
Desire? (The impulse that excavates 

Mind's channels and ever lays bare) 

The depth or shallowness of life, 

As presented by man on earth. 
Desire? (The impulse for the soul) 

(The motive for the spirit's birth). 

So probe thyself and turn within, 

Know how thy pulse doth beat. 
Whether for the good of thy neighbor and self, 

As a sheep of earth thou canst bleat, 

And raise thy voice in praise for God, 
For his son, thy brother of earth. 

Through soul, the immortal flame of life. 
Which begets the higher birth 

Of the son of man, through the virgin bride, 
Until the great onement takes place. 

When life's principle (the Father) through soul 
(Holy Ghost), 
Through man (the son), will earth grace. 

Thus turn within and know thyself, 

Cleanse self in mind and heart. 
Reveal to man thy inmost light. 

Give soul's pulses a start. 



142 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Then will the new Jerusalem 

In truth appear on earth, 
When self is cleansed, self-conquest scores 

Life's victory (man's higher birth). 

^^ For verily I say untoyoUyye shall be born again. 

Not in the womb of mother-earth. 

Not by the flesh of man. 
But in the spirit the higher birth. 

Is held in power and plan. 

Not with the thought of selfishness, 

Blindly groping in dust. 
Blemishing all that is good and true 

With deception's tarnish and rust. 

Not by seeking earth's wealth, self-gain, 

Can we enlightened be. 
To behold the higher birth of man 

From earth's bondage ever set free. 

But purging self and self-denial. 

Aspiring to look above. 
The selfish state will surely launch 

Each into brotherly love. 

Where friendship's clasp securely bound 

In co-operation to plod. 
Serving to all pure love (life's cream), 

The higher birth, revealing God. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 143 

For as man is ever the child of God, so God 
through man is ever the son of man; therefore, 
''Love God above all and thy neighbor as thy- 
self." Therefore, 

Wield not thy staff of prejudice, 

Hold not the thorny crown 
Upon the brow of God and man 

With criticism weighted down. 

Push not away the pearls of truth, 

Whate'er their source may be, 
For they are sent to bring forth light 

To illuminate man to see. 

But rather seek attain the state. 

Where perception's light holds sway, 

Grasping the good from all that is, 
Casting the foul away. 

Each thought expressed, each phrase outlined, 

Is for earth, a message sent. 
Whether from the lips of a prattling babe 

Or a sire aged and bent; 

Whether from wise or learned source. 

Whether from simpler estate, 
For intelligence is the power of God, 

Which reveals the higher gate. 



144 THE TREND OF LIFE 

Illumined by the virgin bride, 

By the birth of her children, through man 
(All time's revelations), whate'er be their name, 

In memory's glittering span. 

For each is born through brotherly love 

To behold the light of life; 
Co-operation (the veil of love's shrine), 

Which exterminates struggle and strife. 

Yet though man, a complete laboratory of 
nature in himself, stockholder in the greatest 
manufacturing plant in existence (the machin- 
ery of nature), co-worker with God and heir to 
the most glorious kingdom (the state of per- 
fection), yet, for lack of co-operation, there is 
misery, crime, want, where'er we go. 

For no one light yet shone with beaming 
strength 
Could pierce earth's darkness through and 
through, 
Lift off its weight from heart and mind, 
Teach man just what he ought to do. 

No one light sent rays forth bright enough 
So he could expel all doubt and fear. 

Convincingly point heavenward, 

In truth bring forth God's presence near. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 145 

No one light so bright e'er came to earth 
That could reveal to personal self 

That each is to fulfill one law 

(Co-operation), and not serve pelf. 

Not that there is not light enough 
To illuminate e'en the darkest night; 

Not that there is not truth enough 
To reveal to man just what is right; 

But just because man will not grasp 

The touches of knowledge from each and all, 

But clinging unto his creed of the past. 
Refuses to listen to truth, Christ's call. 

For light is life and truth is light, 

Searchlight through all eternity. 
Savior of earth and all mankind, 

The illuminating power that makes man see. 

The spittal that openeth the eyes of the blind, 
Applied through the conscience convicting 
earth's clay, 

Ever sustaining the perceptive nerve. 

Proclaiming, declaring, the resurrection day. 

Therefrom, Christ is truth. 

While God is love. 

And we have both with us always. 



146 THE TREND OF LIFE 

So man, O man, awaken, arise, 

Earth's dawn is being declared from the skies. 

Search out the truth, the eternal ray 
Of light which reveals the eternal day. 

Cast aside thy ism, thy ist, thy creed, 

Take unto thyself all the good that you need, 

No matter from where its source, its light, 
Just so through thy conscience thou canst say, 
" 'Tis right." 

For conscience is dictation of truth from the 

soul; 
According to thy knowledge (thy earthly goal), 

It will tell to each just what is right; 
In obeying its voice, each will walk in the 
light. 

For the soul is dictator, giving power to all, 
While the spirit impresses and answers earth's 
call, 

While knowledge leads onward into progress 

and light. 
Upholding the day, dispelling the night. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 147 

And truth (the great Savior) is revealed unto 

man, 
Through all the creeds, isms, and ists in earth's 

plan. 

Each holding a spoonful, be it ever so small, 
For each has its mission and each has its call; 

For each is a pebble on the seashore of life. 
And while we are wading in struggle and strife 

We should try to behold each one that we can. 
Discover its form, applications and plan, 

Whether Pagan or Catholic, Roman or Greek, 
Or all nomonations the Protestants speak; 

Whether freethinkers, scientists, all sects that 

live. 
For each holds a spoonful of truth, man to give. 

Whether science, invention, poetry, art, 
For each does its duty, in truth holds a part. 

Therefore we should look at each one and ne'er 

shirk 
Our duty in co-operating in all good work. 

Our duty in taking all the good that we can. 
Thus discover the truth in God's great, har- 
monic plan. 



148 THE TREND OF LIFE 

" For as the body has many members, so we are 
all one body in Christ " {Truth). 

And, though life is a problem difficult to solve, 
Such different conditions surrounding, 

No one system or method we find can involve, 
Its immensity so profounding. 

It faces each one as the days passing by. 
Through the changes of life in all stages; 

It reveals to the mind that a prejudiced sigh 
Only blots and discolors life's pages. 

Though often alone with life's problem im- 
bibed, 

While the mind trying hard to decide it. 
The tears come like friends who often have tried 

To console, yet too often belied it. 

And the sigh heaves the breast as if to relieve 
The spirit of weight and of burden. 

But the sigh lasts only as long as we breathe. 
There we stand face to face with life's prob- 
lem. 

Face to face with life's spirit, life's knowledge, 
life's soul. 

As far they extend is our workshop, 
Unfoldment life's figures of worth will enroll, 

While development holds forth the main prop. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 149 

For 'tis the mind's spreading light, 'tis the 

intellect's ray, 

With the will in advance marching onward. 

Piercing into the channels, absorbing each day, 

That will solve all and bring forth truth's 

reward. 

(End of Part I.) 



THE CLOSE— A SOLILOQUY BY 
THE SOUL. 

Would each child of earth and matter attain 
to the state of perception, since each can by 
conquering self and accepting ** Inspiration" 
as his bride; then there would be truthful lov- 
ers, who would never prove unfaithful, but ever 
bound in the sublime onement of soul. Then 
would anamists and materialists sing one grand 
masterpiece, thus: 

O yes, O yes, there is a God, 

O yes, a source from whence we plod. 

E'en though things are not as they seem, 
E'en though earth is but yet a dream. 

Of darkness, misery, crime, want, 
To-day, where'er we go life's chant. 

Yet God doth see all things, doth know 
Just what man does on earth below. 

O yes, O yes, there is a God, 
Who sees just how his mortal sod 
150 



THE TREND OF LIFE 151 

Is being grinded into dust; 

Knows just how man wields on by lust, 

Knows just how much each one can lift, 
Knows each impulse prompting each gift, 

Knows just how far to wield man on. 
Till each a higher garb will don. 

O yes, O yes, there is a God, 

Who sees just how each one doth plod; 

Just how each one doth plow and sow. 
How each one strikes, God sees the blow. 

And hears the wail of sorrow, grief. 
The storm of gloom, human belief. 

That man is master, not the child. 
So God says, "Go and thus run wild. 

Since thou wilt not list unto my voice, 
Preferest sadness to rejoice. 

For thou wilt learn e'er thou canst end 
That I am master, God, and friend; 

That I, thy Father— Mother art. 

And e'er through thee doth take thy part, 

Doth ever know what will be best. 
That but with me thou canst have rest." 



152 THE TREND OF LIFE 

O yes, O yes, there is a God, 
Who ever tells us how to plod, 

Just how to sow that we may reap 
A harvest great enough to keep; 

Doth ever tell us how to grind 
The wheat so we may ever find 

The bread of life for nourishment, 
If we'll but go where we are sent; 

If we'll but list unto His voice, 
Apply His teachings and rejoice; 

If we'll but walk with opened eyes. 
Turned upward, looking toward the skies. 

O yes, O yes, there is a God, 
Whoe'er reveals through mortal sod. 

That man is now and ever blest 
With a magnificent, luxurious feast. 

But man will not turn to e'en smell the scent 
Of all the luxuries, but ever bent 

Toward mortal gain, his selfish self 
Until some day upon time's shelf 

Beholds what he has wrought by self. 
Perceives that he was but an elf. 



THE TREND OF LIFE 153 

Beholds things then, not as they seem, 
But real, since life no more a dream. 

And says, '*0 yes, there is a God, 
Who sees just how his mortal sod 

Is being grinded into dust;" 

Beholds earth's life tarnished with rust. 

Which covers the soul's light within. 
Thus man a new leaf must begin 

By returning unto the Father's side. 
Praying, "God help me o'er the tide. 

That I may ever steer and float 
On life's great sea my little boat 

In knowledge, not ist, ism, creed. 

So I through Truth may e'er be freed. 

Help me, master, God and friend, 
Help me on unto the end, 

That I may thus with thee find rest 
In Thy home, Thy scepters crest. 

In love, highest, ecstatic state. 

In wisdom, power, strength, most elate, 

In Thee (all peace and happiness) 
Eternity ever to bless." 



" The Trend of Life " is to be presented to 
the public in three parts. 

Parts II and III, entitled, respectively, 
''The Reward of Truth," and ''Prophecy," 
will be published as soon as completed. 



154 



PRINTED BY R. R. DONNELLEY 
AND SONS COMPANY, AT THE 
LAKESIDE PRESS, CHICAGO, ILL. 



aept lt> itk0ul 



AUG 31 1901 



